Dying Heart
by mavrosal
Summary: Sookie is coming to terms with the relationship with her vampires and new life, but with trouble on the horizon will the new love survive? G/E/S Sequel to Dying Love
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! :D**

**It has been a while! I have been holding off on posting this, but I decided to anyway. I have no beta atm for this, since my beta and I are going over DL and a few other things, so it'll take us a while to catch up to Dying Heart, so please forgive any and all mistakes, I promise I'll get around to correcting everything soonish.**

**I'm not promising regular updates, since my life is upside down right now, but I will try to get things done and up as quickly as I can. **

**I hope you enjoy this story as much as you enjoyed DL, well, maybe more so! **

**If you haven't read the one-shot I posted a while back, do, it's does flow into here. **

**Anyway, I'll stop blabbering on and let you have fun now!**

**xxx**

**Disclaimer: CH and TB own all the cannon characters. I make no money from this.**

**

* * *

**

Dinner rush.

Merlotte's was flat out tonight. Every table occupied with people wanting to eat, or drink and in most cases both, plus gossip. I didn't mind the running around because my shift would fly by in no time.

"Order up!" Lafayette's ducal tones called out from the kitchen window.

I came over to get the chicken wing basket for JB. He and Tara were sitting in my section, having dinner. While we had both been friend's with him in high school, this renewal of their friendship seemed a little odd, but not wholly unwelcome. I was just glad that she was finally getting over Eggs and trying to live again, and JB was sweet. I knew he fancied her was easy enough for me to read, his mind simple, it was the reason I enjoyed spending time with him. If it wasn't for the fact that I would simply get bored with the guy, I'd have tried to date him. He was the only one who's thoughts I could tolerate for any length of time.

Tara and I weren't really speaking all that much these days, me being the reason why the love of her life had died, but at least she wasn't being an outright bitch, or sending me accusing looks like she used to, not that I really could blame her. I've settled for lack of interest from her, rather than covert hostility. Hoping that one day she'd forgive me enough to resume a semblance of our old friendship. We haven't been at odds often, and this new coldness between us hurt me more than I've been letting on to everyone. Only Eric and Godric knew the truth, which was the reason they weren't very fond of Tara. I couldn't really blame them, or her, I did blame myself a little, when those two weren't around to read my feelings.

Lafayette was dressed in a tight purple vest that matched the eye-shadow he was wearing. I smiled at him as picked up the basket.

"You lookin sexay sista." He winked at me. I winked right back before sauntering off, my mood suddenly fluttering higher after his compliment.

Don't get me wrong, Lafayette was as gay as God could make them, but the compliment was sure nice. I did take a little extra time than I normally would with my make-up tonight. I was going to meet up with Eric and, hopefully Godric as well, at Fangtasia later. Apparently, or in this case according to Pam, they were planning a surprise. She didn't tell me what, but she did say to look nice.

I smiled at JB when I placed the chicken wings in front of him.

"Did you want anything else?" I asked.

He smiled back. JB was almost always happy. He was a simple man, I should know, I can read his thoughts.

I looked over at Tara, she didn't even acknowledge me. Sad as it was, I knew she was feeling mostly guilty for blaming me and didn't know how to turn things around. I just wasn't sure if they could after all this time.

"No, thank you, Sookie. We'll call you if we do," JB said with a lesser smile, even he noticed the tension at the table.

I nodded before moving away. Maybe JB will have a calming influence on Tara.

Truth be known I wasn't happy working at Merlotte's these days. It used to be great. It was the first job I've held for longer than a few months. Thanks to my disability it wasn't all that easy to find a job. I was pretty, sure. Now a proud size six. My natural blond hair highlighted thanks to the intake of vampire blood that had yet to wear off, or it could have been the after effects of whatever it was that Lexie did to me that 'unbound' my powers, which have yet to make themselves known.

My boss, Sam, was a friend. He used to have a thing for me, but lately that has cooled. He's been seeing someone for a couple of weeks, and I couldn't be happier for both of them.

It was the fact that I barely made a ripple in my bank account with the wages from Merlotte's.

I worked for Eric full time as a telepath. I made more money, but I also worked fewer hours, and the ones I did work were not spent serving people. I was respected in his world, the world of the Supernaturals. Valued. I wasn't valued here. Not by anyone. Well, that wasn't entirely true I chided myself. Sam valued me, but with the new waitress starting to take over more and more of my shifts-who he just happened to be dating as well- it didn't seem like he needed me all that much too. Not because he'd ever fire me, no, but I didn't think I'd be serving drinks for that much longer though.

"Sookie." I heard a cool voice behind me say my name, and stiffened.

I knew that voice. It was Bill's voice. I steeled myself as I turned around, reinforcing my shields just in case. People in this town loved to gossip, and this was gossip worthy material. He looked good, but his charms were lost on me. I stopped seeing him as attractive around the time when he confessed to taking my virginity on his Queen's orders. Bastard.

He was also here with a date. She was taller than me. Her hair was styled, short and brown. She was also about as happy to see me as I was her. Not that I minded that Bill dated, because I didn't, but that he had the gall to bring her here. That I did mind. I minded that a lot actually. Surely there were classier places to take a date to? Or come on a night I wasn't working, it wouldn't be hard, I mean I only worked one or two shifts a week these days.

I felt the smile on my face brighten as they both took me in.

"Hello, Bill," I said, and was pleased with the evenness of my own voice.

"Sookie, what a pleasant surprise. I'd like you to meet Selah Pumphrey. Selah this is Sookie," Bill said.

I fought to keep my temper in check. No, it wasn't jealousy, it was annoyance. I looked at Selah, she was the complete opposite of me. Well educated, well to-do, and well dressed. The last was something Pam has been working hard to rectify for me too, but in my Merlotte's winter uniform (black pants and long sleeved white shirt and black Reeboks) style wasn't an option.

She obviously thought so too, because her lips curled slightly, and not in a friendly way.

"A pleasure to meet you, Sookie," Selah said her voice pleasant as can be, the smile on her face didn't reach her eyes though.

"And you too. Now, can I get you menus or will it be just drinks tonight?" I smiled the biggest and craziest smile, and turned to lead them to a table. I didn't hold out hopes that Bill would be nice enough not to sit in my section. I was right, because they followed me to a booth and sat down.

"I think drinks, for now, would be fine, unless you are hungry?" Bill asked with a concerned look at Selah. I was proud to say that look being directed at someone other than me did absolutely nothing to me. Almost.

Selah smiled at him, it wasn't the strained, nasty, smile I'd received from her moments earlier. "Some wine would be lovely."

"A glass of red wine and a True Blood, please." He looked at me, and for a moment I saw something flare in his eyes. I ignored it.

"I'll be back in a jiffy with those." I said before walking away from them in the least rushed way I could manage.

Sam was behind the counter pouring a beer when I got to the bar, he was scowling in Bill's direction.

"Is that recent?" I asked moving my head to indicate the happy couple in the booth. Well, Selah was smiling at Bill in an adoring kind of way that made me want to vomit or say something nasty, and Bill had his usual neutral expression.

Mysterious vampires my behind.

Before I got to knew Eric better, and Godric, I used to think vampires were brooding, mysterious and generally morose. They're not. Actually, that's not true; most are, probably because that's what is expected of them. I didn't think the general public was ready for the Wii matches, name calling (in dozens of languages), or the pranks that happened behind the ultra suave façade. Maybe I got very lucky when I started dating two that had a sense of humour.

Pam was hilarious in her own way, when it didn't involve painting grisly scenes in my head, or play with my hair like I was her own personal Barbie doll. You try to explain to a two hundred year old vampire, with shiny and very much deadly fangs, that you didn't find her joke all that funny, or that my hair was just fine the way it is. Yeah, I didn't think it was such a good idea either.

"He's been bringing her here for a few weeks. So far, you've missed the happy occasions." Sam wasn't that fond of vampires as a rule, after I told him what had happened in Dallas, his opinion of Bill Compton took a deep dive and never resurfaced. I've been trying to take day shifts as often as possible, so I could spend my nights with the vampires, which is probably why I haven't bumped into Bill all that much. Sam was all too happy to help me out.

I got the bottle of blood out of the fridge, it was O positive, Bill's favourite (I didn't feel any pride in regards to still knowing that), and stuck it in the microwave to heat.

"It doesn't matter." I told him and got a loaded look back in answer. "It doesn't. Maybe he'll move on now." From the quiet stare I was receiving from the booth in my section across the bar - I felt it on me without needing to check - I knew I was wrong. "They seem better matched anyway."

I was pretty sure that Sam was going to reply, but the microwave beeped then, and I went to take back the drinks.

For the last half hour of my shift I was acutely aware of dark eyes following me as I served and cleared my tables. When I peeked into Selah's head a few times, she was getting frustrated with Bill's obvious inattention to her, and his more than obvious covetous looks at me. It was with a wave of relief mixed in with excitement that I went to get my bag from Sam's office and after waving Sam a quick goodbye headed to my car with a bounce of building excitement in my step.

Bill Compton can date whomever he want, I had my own date tonight, and I wasn't about to let him ruin my mood.

It felt like the drive home took forever, of course I was getting used to my vampires driving me these days, and neither of them cared about human speed limits much. Most of the work I've been doing lately has been using my telepathy to screen people and usually I had someone else drive me. It wasn't a choice, the jobs involved stressful situations, or long hours of me listening in on people that would leave me drained physically as well as emotionally, so my vampires didn't want to risk me driving myself. After the first few times I had reluctantly conceded the point in their favour. So, the only driving I did was to Bon Temps, and I felt every pothole of my gravel driveway as I neared the house.

I've been saving up my money for a new car, but the driveway needed work. It'll be next on my list. Just because I spent less and less time here didn't mean I didn't love my house.

As I entered the clearing where the family house stood I slowed down the car to better admire it. The lights were on. I've had a few outdoor lights installed, as well as a motion detector on that flooded the back area whenever I drove in after a shift.

The newly painted walls and gleaming windows gave me a bit of a start every time I noticed. Lexie, my newly found and very much non-human aunt, had repaired the house after all the damage the maenad had caused a few months back, and the house looked better than it had in decades. Since she had done it in a sneaky supe way, in a matter of hours rather than the weeks, and possibly months it'd have taken me, I was more than grateful. She completely stonewalled me on paying any recompense saying that her father, my grandfather, would flay her hair if he heard that she took so much as a penny. I couldn't really argue with her, it had been nice to have family take care of you.

"Hello." I called out into the forest as I got out of the car.

No, I wasn't talking to animals.

"Sookie!" A warm voice answered. There was laughter and comfort in it that never failed to make me feel happier.

Phedre stepped out from the trees. She was wearing a long skirt and cotton blouse. Her feet were bare and her hair flowed around her face in pretty curls.

I smiled at her as I often did simply because she was a nice person, and she was someone I considered a friend.

"How are the trees today?" I asked.

"Cheerful. They missed me last night. They're getting very needy now that winter is coming." She said as she stroked the trunk of the nearest tree.

Phedre is a dryad. She came to our neck of the woods when her home was deforested. She's from somewhere in France and has been alive for longer than I care to think about. I met her at the Halloween party a month ago and we became friends after. She'd often come to Eric's house since the woods around there were never trespassed by anyone save the ones that were allowed past the wards. I could tell though that she was unhappy about living in the city, even one that was relatively small like Shreveport.

I spent less and less time in Bon Temps, so the idea of someone living in my Gran's house came to me one evening, an unasked but welcome epiphany. Eric had been dropping hints, but he let me take my time with it, and I appreciated that.

Eric is not known for subtle approaches when he wants something done, so his patience with me is almost a miracle in its own right.

That's how I ended up with a dryad living in my old room at the Stackhouse homestead, and picking up more and more of my shifts at Merlotte's. From what I've been hearing (not just with my ears mind you), she and Sam were getting along well as well. I was happy about that. Sam's like liked me for a while. He's cute, in a shaggy type way, but not for me. I've always seen him as my boss first. Cute as he was, and he was nice as well, I just never really saw him in that way.

I had a strict policy of not dating my boss, until Eric, but he's more of a manager than a boss, and, well, it's complicated.

Phedre was older than I don't know what, well, she was sure older than Bill and Pam, and they had a few centuries in age between them. She didn't look it at all.

With all these supes I've been hanging out with lately, I felt like an infant half the time. Most of the people surrounding me were well over a few centuries in age, though they hardly looked it, and I have been glad that they hardly ever treated me different from each other. I'm not the most educated person, or smartest, but I wasn't stupid, and just because I've been alive for a quarter of a century rather than several of them doesn't mean I don't know anything. My telepathy made sure of that, I've lived through plenty of people's experiences just by seeing their thoughts, in my eyes that put me, and all the older folks around me, on a more than an even footing.

"I'm glad you're here to take care of them, I'm sure they're enjoying the company." I told her, not entirely understanding how trees talked, but happy to see her so at peace again. "Have you had dinner yet?"

She shook her head, the hair bouncing all over the place. "No. I was waiting for you. I did make a chicken salad."

I was salivating just at hearing the words. "Let's go eat then."

She chuckled as she walked up to me. "You even sound hungry."

My stomach answered her in a loudly. I blushed as my left hand flew to cover it as though, somehow, it would make the sound quieter.

Dryads aren't known for their political correctness, but I'd learnt that didn't mean they would make fun of you out of spite. The humour of each species (and I'm in regular contact with a variety of non-human ones these days) is very different.

It was nice to share a meal with someone once in a while. I didn't get a chance to do something like this that most people considered mundane save when Phedre ate with me, or Lexie dropped by. Jason spent too much time chasing every available skirt in the surrounding towns having exhausted all the opportunities here in Bon Temps, and had little time for his baby sister, so I enjoyed the simple routines of sitting down for a meal with a companion and being able to talk about your day while both of you enjoyed the food.

The salad was delicious, and there was little conversation while I was trying to stuff as much of it as I could in my mouth without appearing savage, I missed lunch so I was extra hungry.

Phedre smiled as she watched me almost inhale the food. "You know, there is plenty left in the fridge."

I smiled ruefully as I chewed through another mouthful.

"Do you think I can take some with me for tomorrow? It's delicious." I asked. Gran would have been proud, after scolding me for my poor table manners of course.

She laughed at the pleading look on my face, I loved to cook, but eating great home made food was something I never turned my nose at. Phedre was a pro, she had centuries of practise, and knew recipes I've never tried before. Like this salad. I made a mental note to ask her to write the recipe as well before I leave.

"You're more than welcome to take it all with you, I'll make more next time you're here. When is your next shift? You'll be heading to Shreveport tonight, yes?"

I nodded since my mouth of inconveniently full, again.

"I've got a few jobs in the next couple of days, and Eric has been extra sneaky about something - I think he may be planning a surprise for me - then there are the training sessions." I rolled my eyes at the last one.

Pam's been coming over more often during my sessions with Lexie since she was going to take over them for the next few months. I was learning hand-to-hand combat and weapons on the insistence of everyone around me I needed to learn self defence. Between the vampire blood I took from the guys, and Lexie unbinding whatever powers I inherited from my mother's side I had more strength than normal, not as much as most supes, but Lexie promised that even that will improve with age.

Lexie had presented me with a beautiful pair of daggers and she was teaching me how to use them. The idea of actually using them to injure, or kill, someone had my stomach in knots every time I thought about it. Lately, though, I've come to realise something about myself, something I wasn't sure I was proud of as yet. If I was ever in a situation that made me choose between my life or someone else's, I'd pick mine. I'd been raised to be a good Christian, but no matter how much guilt I felt over knowing that I'd probably kill if I had to, it didn't dampen the fact that I wanted to live. Nowhere in the Bible did anyone warn you about the monster that lived with us, the monsters that wanted to kill you for who you are, and who you are with.

"Pam's idea of training needs to be re-defined." I huffed. She worked me to the point of complete exhaustion. She didn't see the need to take it easy just because I was more, or less, human.

"You are getting much better." Phedre pointed out kindly.

I rolled my eyes as I scooped up another bit of food. "Sure, I'm only half blue by the end of each session," I said with sarcasm.

"It is better than being all blue, no?" Her eyes twinkled over the glass of water at me. I really enjoyed spending time with Phedre, and the thought that I'll miss this time I had with her regularly settled in my mind. We've spent many an evening since she moved in just talking. She'd tell me about her life, and I had been happy to find that she was much more open about it than vampires were. I decided that it was more the case of habit; she's never had to be as secretive about things because dryads were solitary by nature and didn't have the political problems that vampire society brought into my life, or maybe because her life had a lot less death and violence in it.

I envied the simplicity of Phedre's existence. It must be nice not to be in constant danger.

"Have you given any though about my offer?" She asked after a brief lull in the conversation.

Phedre had offered to teach me a little about the ways of the dryads. She had explained that without the innate magic of a dryad I probably won't be able to do much, but we could still try.

"Sure. I've thought about it, but with the heavy schedule I'm in right now would not be a good time to add to it. Can we hold off on it for a few months?" I didn't want to offend her, the offer was very generous. When Godric had found out that Phedre had offered to teach me the ways of her people he was shocked. Do you know how hard it is to shock someone who is well over two thousand years old?

"But of course it is no problem. I understand that Pamela wants to make sure you have improved considerably under her care."

I groaned in answer, Pam's dedication to my training may prove to be fatal to me.

We both finished eating and I took the plates to the sink, washing them and stacking on the side to air dry. The familiar routine gave me a chance to think about how to approach the next subject. Phedre was making some sort of herbal tea concoction.

She's been picking herbs all over the property and drying them on the back porch. I had no idea what some of them were, but her teas were absolutely lovely.

"Have you been enjoying living here, Phedre?" I asked as I watched her.

"Yes. Your house reminds me of my own very much and the woods are just enchanting. They are very friendly here." She said.

"What about the job? How's that going?" We haven't really worked the same shifts since she started.

I saw a blush creep into her cheeks "I enjoy the work as well."

"And Sam's nice?" I asked, watching her squirm like that was just too cute.

She gave me an arched brow look before her face to broke out into a grin. "He is a good man, is he not?"

I nodded. "The best I know. I'm glad you like it here."

She cocked her head to the side before asking. "Why all the questions, Sookie?"

"Well, I've been thinking a lot about my working hours and the fact that Sam doesn't really need me at the bar any more, and that I don't really need the extra income from the bar job. And, I've been spending a lot of time commuting..." I realised I was rambling and that Phedre had a small smirk on her face.

"You are saying you wish to stop working at the bar?" She clarified.

I nodded. Boy, will those two be happy when they hear about this. Eric has been pestering me about my bar job for months, and while Godric didn't do it in as much of a cocky manner, I knew he didn't think much of the place too.

"You wish to move to Shreveport then, permanently?"

I nodded again, then thought to add. "I won't sell the house, or anything. You can still live here, we'll split the utilities and I'll pay for the upkeep." I tried to breathe past the tightening in my chest. I was talking about moving out of my Gran's house, the Stackhouse's have lived here for generations. "You're the first and only person I wouldn't mind to live here, you see... I like the idea that Gran's house will be in the hands of someone who loves it almost as much as a Stackhouse."

My smile may have been a little wobbly and there might have been moisture in my eyes, but Phedre didn't comment on those facts, and I was grateful for it. She came to me and enveloped me in a tight hug. The smell of trees, sunshine and spring surrounded me and I felt calmer. I hugged her back, because she was one of the few people I could truly call a friend these days. And because, out of those few even fewer were girlfriends. Although such term seemed funny when applied to someone who was definitely not a girl.

"I would be honoured and very grateful." She whispered in my ear, before kissing my cheek.

"Thank you." And if my voice was more emotional that I'd care to admit, or if there was moisture on my face I didn't own up to it just then.

'V'

It took me another half hour or so to get ready. I wanted to look nice tonight, but since I was told to dress casual I opted for a pair of stretchy jeans, that hugged me in all the right places and a soft cashmere jumper, in turquoise blue. I wore matching pumps, with pretty flowers on the outside of the shoe.

My hair was up in a loose bun with small tendrils escaping to frame my face, Phedre had styled it for me, she's very good with hair. I touched up my make-up, making doing it smokier than usual around my eyes and making sure my lipstick was a perfect glossy red.

I looked good. Great. Sexy, but without trying too hard.

Phedre gave me a hug as we said our goodbyes and she headed back into the forest, something I was getting used to seeing. She spend a lot of her free time in the forest surrounding my house. I slid into my car, my mood sky rocketing as I turned my thoughts towards my destination and the vampires waiting for me.

I was almost on the outskirts of Shreveport when I heard the ominous sound. My heart plummeted into the soles of my feet and I took my foot of the accelerator as the car slowly rolled to a stop on the gravely curb.

"Please don't die on me now" I turned the key in the ignition, but apart for some more pathetic chokes there was nothing left in her.

I slumped forward resting my head on the back of my hands. This was not happening. My car didn't just break down in the middle of nowhere, and in the dark too. Godric's words from the Halloween party echoed in my head.

This stretch of the woods was empty of housing of any kind, I must have been alone for a goof ten miles in either direction.

I thought about the smug look of satisfaction on his face. No. He wouldn't be smug, he would be upset. Irritated. And maybe a little worried.

I had managed to convince Godric that I should only have protection while I was working, that was by telling him I would act smart. Eric has been a little less severe on the subject, so it was Godric that needed convincing.

Gingerly I pulled out my mobile phone. I still had credit on it, thanks to the Dallas vampires. I've been back to see them just a few weeks ago, it was a business trip, but we managed to have some fun as well. I even had a girls night with Isabel.

"Fangtasia, where all your bloody dreams come true." Pam's bored voice answered after a couple of rings.

"Hello, Pam." My own was soft enough so that there was less of a chance that I'd be overheard on the other side. Vampire hearing was very acute.

"Sookie? You're late."

I checked my watch. Sure, I would be late if I didn't get there in the next ten minutes. I didn't think that was physically possible unless I had inbuilt Lexie transport. I didn't. "Thanks, Pam. I know."

"What is it that you need from me?" She practically purred the words. Why did Pam find the idea appealing?

I gritted my teeth. "I have a small problem I was kind of hoping you might be able to help me?"

There was a brief pause and I heard heels clicking.

"Speak."

I rolled my eyes at her abrupt manner.

"My car just died." Ironic to use that particular turn of phrase in present company.

"I am not a mechanic. Even if I knew anything about cars, why would I try and salvage that piece of pre-historic crap?"

"Pam, I'm not asking you to salvage it, I'm asking you to salvage me from being stuck in the woods on an empty road."

The laughter that followed was pure evil. "Priceless." She still chuckling, I really didn't have anything to say to that. "You know what's coming then?"

"Just come and get me." I growled, then decided that wasn't the best way to speak to my vampire rescuer. No matter how friendly we were, Pam was one of the undead, and deadly. "Please."

"I'm on my way."

The line went dead before I could say anything else. I glared at the phone, not that it helped, and then threw the damn thing back into my bag taking out my frustration over the whole situation on the phone, the bag, anything that didn't have fangs. I didn't think Pam would really try and kill me, but she was my trainer for the next three months, she could and might may my life hell.

Since there was nothing left for me to do but wait for my rescue to arrive I looked around.

There were no street lights on this stretch of the road, it was in the middle of the forest and unlikely to receive any foot traffic. Memories of the last time I was in the woods came back to haunt me. Bill and I arguing, storming off, getting my back shredded by a crazy maenad, Fangtasia, and Eric...it all felt like a lifetime ago.

Bill tonight, like any other night he'd managed to catch my shift at the bar, was irritating with his underhanded techniques. I wasn't sure why I thought he didn't really care for his new 'girlfriend'. It wasn't vanity speaking on my part. Who'd bring their new flame to a bar where there was a possibility of running into his ex, unless he deliberately wanted to.

Not that I should be surprised, not after Dallas, and specially not after what I found out. I wasn't sure what bothered me more, that he thought that I'd forgive him, or that he thought I'd be jealous, or that he thought for a second that I could possibly want to go back to him when I was obviously happy with where, and with who, I was with now.

Any lingering feelings I felt for Bill Compton had nothing to do with lust, or love, or anything even remotely friendly these days, not after Phedre mentioned that she's smelled him more than once in the woods surrounding my house. The idea that he was stalking me was disturbing. What Eric and Godric might do to him if they ever found out left me shuddering. I might think he's a bastard, but I didn't think he needed to die.

I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that it took me a little while to come back to reality. An uneasy feeling came over me as my thoughts brought me back to my present.

Something was watching me.

I peered into the dimness of the night, but there was nothing there. Shivering I checked the locks on the doors again before going taking out the knives from under my seat. They weren't as nice as the set I had from Lexie, but they'll were the best you could find on earth, or so Godric told me when he gave them to me.

I preferred knives to a gun these days. Less noise for one. I might not be as fast as a vampire, or as strong as a Were, but I could throw with deadly accuracy now, besides, not everything could be killed by a gun wound. Knives did more damage.

The watched feeling was still there. I shivered. Sending a fervent prayer that Pam would get here soon I dropped my shields. When I heard the red snarly thoughts my heartbeat jumped to a crazy rhythm.

God, how many were there? A dozen...no less, maybe ten. Jesus Christ, Shepherd of Judea, I was getting better with the knives, but I couldn't possibly take out ten Weres.

"Pam, where are you?" I muttered. My options limited, I listened in on their thoughts while trying not to betray the fact that I was aware of their presence.

Were and shifter brains were harder to read unless they thought directly at me. All I could pick up from was the idea that they needed to get me somewhere. I gulped at the idea my fingers reaching into the bag which I had so recently abused so I could find my phone. Just in case.

They were getting closer.

My heart was in my throat and I was dialling Pam when I saw headlights. My lack of shields alerted me straight away to the fact that the driver was undead. I could have cried.

"I am here."

"Werewolves. In the woods. Ten." I whispered.

"You are so much trouble." She tisked as I watched the car do a crazy swerve and pull up to a perfect stop in front of mine. "Are they still there."

"Yes."

Silence. I waited. "I assume you have your knives?" I nodded, she could see me in the mirror. "Fine. Let's make rugs then."

I didn't give myself a chance to think twice about it, I was out of the car almost as fast as Pam. I held the knives in my hands, blades down, but ready. My arms tense, ready to strike, as I moved into the middle of the road. Pam was already there her fangs drawn and looking into the woods. She could probably see them, where as I could only see trees and darkness.

It wasn't full moon tonight, not that it would have mattered since the sky was covered in a haze of clouds; whatever light we had came from the cars. I squinted trying to see something in the shadows where I could feel the Weres.

The cool night breeze pushed strands of hair into my face and I fought not to twitch, knowing that any distraction could prove fatal. This wasn't practise where I could call a halt. I was about to fight for my life. Until now the training had been all fun for me, I didn't think about the real possibilities of my being a target for this sort of thing.

Stupid really, since I've already been in more than one life-threatening situations since I've been hanging out with vampires.

"Don't get hurt." Pam muttered to me as she shifted onto the balls of her feet. I could feel that several of the wolves were getting closer to her. I didn't look behind me to check, my eyes scanned the forest in front of me again.

The first one stepped out to my left. He was large, shaggy and scary as hell. I gulped. While I've heard plenty about Weres, event met a few; I've yet to actually see them as their wolf selves so to speak.

They were _huge_.

I looked on, while trying to calm my erratic breathing, as a few more dark shapes stepped out of the shadowy forest and onto the road effectively surrounding us. My confidence in our ability to come out of this unscathed went down a notch or two.

From behind me I heard a growl and then the beginnings of a struggle. I didn't get a chance to wonder how Pam was doing, or how many wolves were targeting her because the first wolf jumped towards me and I stepped sideways, narrowly avoiding the clawed paws swinging my way, as I swung my right hand.

The dagger entered the wolf smoothly, silver coated steel deadly combination for a Were or vampire. I twisted and quickly pulled it back. The spray of blood as I pulled out the knife made my stomach churn, but I was already watching the rest of them. Howls pierced the night as he flew down onto the road.

I didn't have a chance to think about the fact that I made my first kill before the next one jumped at me. My vision was filled with fur and teeth as I fought off the attack. Blood sprayed onto my new jumper when I slashed at his chest.

Then I was falling. Pain seared my back as it hit the road tearing a gasp out my throat.

The Were on top of me stared at me with widened eyes that were full of angry pain and I realised that the dagger I had pushed between us while falling was now in his chest. The knowledge gave me little satisfaction as I heard more growls right next to me.

I was stuck under an injured Were, with more coming after me and no way to defend myself. I've gotten stronger, but trying to move the mountain of wolf on top of me was not something I was capable of doing even with the extra strength I still possessed from the vampire blood. I was pretty sure Pam had her hands full, so she'd be no help to me right now. Fuck.

I watched, unable to bring myself to look away, as the eyes above me dulled to a glassy black, life slipping out of them while I counted down the moments until mine would be taken just as easily.

Then someone roared. It was such an angry, frightening sound that I turned towards it thinking maybe this was it.

Godric stood in the middle of the road, fangs extended, blood dripping down his face. I've never seen him look more like the vampire that he was. He's always been so civilized, so human, that I hardly ever remembered that he had it in him to be just as lethal and brutal as caring and affectionate.

He roared as he launched himself at the wolf between us. The head was gone before I had a chance to blink, and within moments the heavy Were was being lifted off of me.

I gulped a lungs full of air as the pressure eased off my chest.

"Sookie, are you okay?" Godric said as he bent down to look me over. His eyes too wide, too feral held a concern as his fingers gently inspected my body. The light brown sweater he was wearing now dark and soaked in blood. His mouth was covered in blood and his fangs still peeked through his lips. I gulped as he finally made eye contact. But he didn't say anything. I wished he would. The look in his eyes combined with the silence was infinitely worse than the scolding I had expected.

"Is Pam okay?" I asked, noticing that my voice as shaking.

"I'm fine, but Sookie, did you not understand when I asked you to _not_ get yourself hurt?" She drawled from behind my head.

Gingerly pushing myself up I looked over at her. She didn't look any cleaner than Godric, but she had a satisfied smile on her face and glint of excitement in her eyes.

"Pam, I tried, I even...killed two." My voice slipped into a whisper as that particular realisation hit me. I had killed. The feeling of Godric's eyes making a hole in the back of my head reminded me not to start falling apart right now. I wasn't sure what kind of mood he was in, but it was not something that needed to be aggravated by my hysterics. I pushed away the thoughts of my own lack of morality as Pam replied, her words almost like a purr they were so full of satisfaction.

"I know. I'm very proud of you." Her fangy smile showed just how much. "You managed to kill two Weres the first time you've had to fight. I'm not a big fan of wolves, but they can be a pesky nuisance. You should be very happy with yourself."

I looked at her to see if she was kidding. She wasn't. I looked back at Godric, and unlike her, he didn't look pleased or happy at the news.

"Enough of this. Pamela, call Eric and let him know we'll be going to the house to change first. Then, we will see if Sookie is well enough to go to Fangtasia. We'll need a clean up team here, and a tow-truck for Sookie's car. Someone needs to make sure it wasn't tampered with." he said. His eyes never left mine and the tone of his voice was cool enough to make me shiver, though I wasn't really cold. Dirty, bloody and in pain from my unexpected close encounter with the ground and a couple of wolves, but not cold, not until I looked at him that is.

He picked me up without a word and carried me to the car. Pam held the door open as she spoke into her phone. I didn't really try to listen since it was way to fast, and probably in a language I didn't know anyway.

It took them less than five minutes to dispose of the bodies. While help was on the way a stray car, or God forbid police, would definitely disregard a lone car parked on the curb, but arms, legs and a couple of human torsos for a little harder to turn a blind eye on.

We left my car on the side of the road. There wasn't much in it by way of valuables. I had an old blanket I kept in the boot for game nights, but apart from that it was clean. Pam had gotten my bag and the salad Phedre had packed into a container for me. My stomach turned unpleasantly when I saw it. I hoped like hell I'd be able to keep down my dinner.

Silence reigned in the car as Pam drove us to Shreveport. While I could understand why Pam was quiet, after all she was the younger vampire, and although they didn't follow protocol often Godric was her grand-sire. When a vampire as old as Godric was upset, you kept quiet and stayed out of the way, something Pam didn't do even when she should, and when she did it made me worry. If Pam was keeping silence, then Godric must be really upset.

I had fully expected him to be angry, maybe shouting, but he sat in the passenger seat, silently staring out the window. A worse treatment than heated arguments. I didn't know what to think. Try as I might to fight off the panic, my stomach was clenching with painful uncertainty. Was he so angry that he might not want to be with me any more?

I sat on the cream leather seat in the back of Pam's car as she sped her way towards Eric's house. The silence weighed down on me almost like a physical presence. Vampires didn't need feel the need to fill in silence like humans do. I felt that difference between our species right now like a huge crater.

Silence was something that I didn't want right now.

My mind kept replaying the events like a bad horror flick re-run on late night tv. The feel of the blade as it hit and then slid past the thin barrier of skin and meat. The light dimming in the eyes above me. I saw those eyes staring into mine every time I blinked, I tried not to blink too often. The hunger in them slowly dying as death took hold. I had killed him. Bile rose with deadly accuracy, burning its way up my throat. I heaved, covering my mouth just in time to stifle the first retch enough.

"Stop." It came out distorted and I for a moment I panicked thinking maybe they wouldn't understand me. Pam's quick reflexes saved her expensive interior and I managed to get the door opened just in time as the remnants of Phedre's salad made it's way up my throat and onto the gravel of yet another strip of road.

"And you were doing so well, Sookie." Pam said as she watched me with undisguised revulsion from her seat.

I felt cool hands brush my hair back, and when I managed to pry my eyes open I saw black lacquered shoes, covered in grey dirt and now the contents of my stomach. I didn't get a chance to feel embarrassed as another wave hit me and I was heaving up bile.

Fingers stroked my hair. "It's all right. You'll be okay, ma petite. I'm here." But for once Godric's soothing voice did nothing to calm me.

When I was sure my stomach was done. I breathed, tasting the bile in my mouth. I felt worse than I thought would be possible. My arms shook from the strain of holding my body while I heaved over the side of the seat, my back was still sore from the fall earlier, and the rest of me shook from the efforts of my stomach cleansing rituals. Rene's head rolling away after I pushed the shovel through his neck blinked in front of my eyes as though it had just happened now, not months ago. And the only thing my mind played over and over was the fact that I was a murderer.

I had killed twice now.

What made me sick the most wasn't the fact that I've had to kill again in order to live, no, that was something I could talk myself around, but the fact that I didn't feel at all sorry that I've done it. Now that thought scared me shitless.

"I killed, again." The words came out broken and barely above a whisper. My throat hurt as I tried to form a more coherent sentence, and failed. The first shudder racked through my body so strongly that I barely managed to keep myself upright, and the tears that had been slowly slipping down my cheeks broke through the damn.

Then Godric was cradling me.

His cool arms surrounded me as he lifted my shaking body puling me into his lap. I sobbed into the folds of his shirt not caring any more about trying to hold back, or showing a weakness, but simply grateful; grateful that he was there, and grateful that I had a shoulder to cry on.

Grateful for the knowledge that I wasn't alone right now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Guys, I'm amazed by all the response I got from the first chapter. :) Thanks for the greeting, and it's wonderful to be back. **

**A HUGE thank you to everyone who reviewed and put the story on alert. I don't need to tell you that you ROCK, because I'm pretty sure you know it. :)**

**You probably realized last week when I didn't update that my schedule won't be the same as it was with DL. I'm sorry about that, I will try and update as regular as I can, but most likely it won't be more often than every fortnight. **

**I do hope you are understanding of this, though I know it's hard to patiently wait for an update. **

**Now, hope you enjoy...**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**

* * *

**

The car jerked to a stop in front of the gates, making Godric's arms tighten around me. Pam punched the code, and I heard the distinct sound of her fingernails tapping away on the wheel as she waited for the gates to open.

I breathed in Godric's unique scent snuggling closer into his neck. The familiarity of him helped me focus back on the present. I didn't have the luxury of falling apart all night. Someone was after me. The thought while scary, wasn't new, and anger burnt through my chest. Why me? The question kept circling around in my head. Weren't there enough _other_ humans who spend their time with vampires? I knew it was unfair, but right then, I just plain didn't care. Being shitty with the world was much easier than realising that I willingly got myself into the situation. After all, I had no illusions that dating two of the eldest vampires on the continent didn't come with a violence label attached, nor was I completely clueless about how much my relationship with Eric — him being a political figure in the vampire world— would compromise my safety at the same time as maybe making me marginally safe. A double edged sword. And that's without taking into account my own fucked up genealogy and talents.

Godric's fingers were playing with my hair, the smooth —almost lazy— motions relaxing me into a false sense of serenity.

He wasn't relaxed.

I could feel the tension in his body under me. His muscles almost vibrating, a complete contrast to the soft way his fingers moved in their nonsensical patterns. That alone told me that we weren't finished with our conversation from earlier. I wasn't sure if I wanted to finish it.

"We are here," Pam said as she pulled up to a stop in front of the house, and I wistfully wished the ride had taken us longer. Sitting in Godric's lap had been a great way to avoid all the troubles currently plaguing my world.

Godric opened the door and his fingers brushed my chin before lifting my face to his. "Come, ma petite, we need to get cleaned up," he said in his calm voice, but his eyes were a storm of emotions I couldn't comprehend.

I slid out silently and walked behind Pam up the steps to the front door in a daze.

"I'm having a shower before I leave for Fangtasia," Pam stated to no one in particular as she made her way up the stairs to the spare room. She had some clothes here for emergencies; I let her go without a word, instead walking down to our bedroom. Southern hospitality be damned, and anyway, this was Pam. She'd been coming and going from this house for more years than I've been alive. Godric followed me downstairs silently. We walked through the large wardrobe which was now split up between Eric's, Godric's and my clothes.

Eric gave Pam a couple of weeks off work when we got back from Dallas, and she went to Italy. The result was in front of me now in the form of a third of the wardrobe taken up by my new clothing. Pam loves to shop and now that I'd lost a dress size— thanks to the constant workouts and stricter diet— it made for a perfect excuse in her eyes to get me a new wardrobe. Not that she needed much of one. I did try to argue my way out of accepting them. Have you ever argued with a vampire? Well, let's just say winning an argument with them is like pulling your own teeth; extremely painful and nearly always impossible.

I didn't want to know how much of Eric's money she spent, or Godric's, probably both. In the end I had accepted everything, because I had known it would make them all happy, and I did need new clothes after my own was ruined by the maenad. I went past the shelves of shoes, designer dresses, expensive shirts, and tailored suites. I wanted, no, needed to take of the dirty clothes off my body. The need to be clean was nearly overwhelming me, a desperate desire to wash off the sin of killing someone. There was a completely irrational feeling that I could wash away the last couple hours just by standing under running water. And scrubbing myself raw.

God, I wish it were that easy.

I took off my clothes, dropping them carelessly on the floor; I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Cool water sprayed on my skin, and I sighed, shivered, but felt instantly better. And though I knew that the idea was impossible, the water did calm the emotional turmoil in me, leaving a pleasantly numb feeling in its wake.

I felt cool hands on my back as the water warmed up around me. Godric's body pressed to mine, and I leaned back into him seeking comfort and reassurance from the touch. He gave me both. His arms circled around, palms spread out on my stomach as he brought me flush up against him.

Home.

I felt loved, cared for, and cherished, and no matter that there was still the talk about the attack in front of us, right now, right this minute, it was just the two of us, together. His fangs grazed my shoulder and low moan escaped my lips as my head fell to the side giving him better access to the fragile skin of my neck. Electricity danced up and down my body, and a throaty moan escaped me as I tried to slide closer to him.

"I almost lost you," He whispered next to my ear, and his hands granted my wish as they tightened around me. "When will you listen to me, and let me protect you?" One of his hands slid up my wet skin, pinching my nipples as he caressed my breast. Pleasure made my body shiver in anticipation. "I have not lived this long without learning a thing or two about security." His other hand slid down, searching, teasing. I tried to concentrate on his words, somehow knowing that they were more important what he was doing to me, but he was making it harder as he continued to explore. And I didn't want to think, I wanted to be lost in the sensations. "Do you have any idea how much effort it takes from me to let you out of this house when I cannot follow?" I wasn't sure I could answer any of his questions right now, but it didn't seem like he wanted any answers.

Fingers circled my nub, and pleasure pooled between my legs as he forced them further apart with his movements. He pressed up behind me, hard, my body buzzed with awareness for him, and yet my mind stayed clear enough that the words he whispered near my ear sunk in my foggy brain with crystal clarity. There should have been no lucidity, and yet I could not move past the seriousness of his voice, and the weight of meaning behind every word he spoke.

"I cannot believe you would risk yourself like you did tonight because you simply cannot accept a gift from us." One finger played at my entrance and my breathing hitched as I eagerly waited, wanting, needing, and yet enjoying the prolonged anticipation. "You risked your own life and Pam's, all because you thought it would make you look cheap if you accepted a car from us. I will not tolerate such behaviour anymore." He what? I felt irritated at his statement, something so akin to what Eric would have said, but coming from Godric, it was a complete surprise. I tried, floundering, to come up with a suitably tart reply, but then his finger slid into me and all I could do was shudder whispering his name.

"I've given up my peace to be with you, ma petite, you told me that love was worth living for, and yet you are as careless with your life as I was with my existence." His fingers started moving in and out of me. I couldn't breathe. "You made me feel something I did not think I would ever feel again." I whimpered, the other hand rearranged to better hold me up, my own body becoming weak as I spiralled out of control. "I will not make the same mistakes I did last time." My back hit the tiles as he lifted my legs spreading them wide, trapping me with his body. I was reeling from the change in position, and from the information, but then our eyes locked. His burned into mine, so many emotions swirling in the normally cool blue. It was mesmerising, and I couldn't look away as he said the next words staring deep into me, like he could see my soul, like he could claim it for his own. "I. Will. Not. Lose. You." He thrust into me, sheathing all the way, and it was glorious.

~V~

By the time I made my way to the kitchen Godric was already drinking a bottle of blood while lounging against the kitchen counter. Pam was nowhere to be seen.

"Pam left already?" I asked as I headed to the fridge. My earlier upset stomach made me lose my dinner, but the shower made sure my appetite was back with a vengeance. Godric's eyes followed my movements, and I felt his scrutiny as I rummaged around for a light snack.

"Yes. She changed and went back to the bar."

I settled on a fruit salad not wanting to overtax my system.

"Are we going to go as well?" I asked reluctantly. I hadn't dressed for it, since I was in no way eager to get out of the house again. Not after tonight. My new baby blue fleece tracksuit with a comfortable tee was what I opted for after drying my hair off.

"It would seem that you would prefer to stay in," he said without a hint of how he felt about the situation.

I nodded. "I know you planned something. I'm sure it would have been really nice, but I'm just not up for it tonight. I'm sorry." I gave him a weak smile and his face visibly softened for a moment before he became serious again.

"Sookie, we have to talk about what happened. You understand that if I didn't get there in time…." I watched as he tried to suppress what he was feeling. I'd never seen so much emotion in Godric— not that he wasn't emotional — he usually hid it well. Tonight had been full of revelations and not for the first time I wondered who he had lost that he would be so protective with me.

I glared at him while battling my own curiosity. "I am not careless. It wasn't my fault the car broke down, or that I was followed by psycho werewolves, or any of the rest of the crap that keeps happening around me." That list of 'accidentals' was sounding phony even to my ears. I blushed looking down at my fruit with overeager interest.

Silence followed my outburst. I chewed as I waited for his response.

"You are going to accept a new car, and full-time guards without an argument, ma petite. I will not have your safety compromised like that again," he said after an appreciable pause.

My head jerked up so fast I nearly choked. Even if I didn't read it in his tone already, the look on his face told me he was completely serious.

The idea that I was never, ever going to be alone terrified. I love my independence. Then, anger took over. I'd accepted plenty of gifts from them, that wasn't the issue here; it was the bullying.

I could feel my face heating up, and not from embarrassment. "You are not the boss of me, Godric! I will buy my own car, thank you very much. I've been waiting until I had enough money saved up that I could, which by the way, I was going to talk to you about tonight. And why do I need a body guard all the time? Even when I am here? I'll have absolutely no privacy! I won't be in a gilded cage!"

He was next to me, our faces barely an inch apart in an instant. "You need guarding because you are special." His eyes burned into me as he spoke. "I need to know that you are protected while I am unable to make sure of it myself. If you insist on doing reckless things, then at least you will have some measure of security while I cannot be there to keep you safe."

I searched his eyes, unfazed by the bared fangs, or the show of temper. "What happened?"

And that one question was like silver on his skin, he was across the room from me before I had a chance to blink. I raised an eyebrow at him in a great imitation of Eric, or so I hoped.

He stared at me for so long I started to become uncomfortable under the scrutiny, small clouds of doubt filling my head as I wondered if maybe I had overstepped an invisible line drawn somewhere I had not known of. Surely not. We'd always talked about everything. He never held back any part of his past from me, no matter how dark, he would tell me.

If you'd never been stared at by a vampire then you wouldn't know what I was talking about. They know how to make it intimidating. They know how to make you squirm. They didn't need to blink, or breathe. They didn't even fidget. Their attention, when focused, is absolute. And while most of the time I found that incredible (when we'd been busy with pleasurable things), it was during moments like these that I was left grasping at straws and hoping for a new invisibility talent.

When he finally spoke again his voice had regained its normal softness and calm. "One day I will tell you, ma petite, but tonight is not the night for that story." His eyes flickered towards the door. "Eric is here."

I turned around just in time to see the tall, blond Viking striding into the room. He had me in his arms within seconds and I was engulfed by his smell. The tension between Godric and I dissipating like it had never been there.

"Pam said you are unharmed," he said when he finally shifted to look at my face.

"I'm fine," I whispered feeling tired.

"Then why did she say you are unwell and could not come to Fangtasia?" He queried, obviously not believing me.

I shot a glare at Godric. His face didn't betray a thing in the typically vampire fashion, instead he said, "You said you would prefer not to go."

"I did, but you told Pam before I said anything." I didn't mean for it to come out like an accusation, but it did.

"You've changed your mind then?"

"No." I told him, reluctant to give ground on this.

"Then why are you behaving like I did something wrong?" Godric asked to my eternal frustration.

"Because you assumed!" I hissed at him disregarding how childish it sounded.

His lips twitched as he tried to stop the smile making my hands itch, wanting to wipe that smirk off his face before it had a chance to appear.

"While this is extremely interesting, I do believe we have more important things to discuss." Eric's voice vibrated through me. I was still in his arms.

I let my attention shift to him, grudgingly putting some distance between us so I could look at him without breaking my neck. "Did Pam fill you in?"

He looked down at me with a serious expression I haven't seen outside of work for months. "Yes, but I would like to hear you tell me everything again." His voice was cool, but the slight accent gave away that he wasn't happy. Great! Just great! I let out a sigh knowing this was inventible and reluctantly packed away my food. It would be better if we didn't have any distractions and my appetite had disappeared.

"Would you like a bottle of blood?" I asked while I was getting myself a coke from the fridge. They both said yes, Godric must have already finished his, so I got two bottles and warmed them up before we all settled on the couches in the living room.

I sat down in the large leather armchair facing the windows while the vampires made themselves comfortable on the two couches, both of them more alert and focused on me than I wanted them to be.

Eric reclined back resting one foot on his knee in a casual way before looking back at me. "What happened?" he asked me again.

I thought over the events of today and where to start my explanation. Something told me that telling them about Bill parading his new girlfriend wouldn't be on their priority list right now. The two identical stares directed at me didn't help my concentration all that much. I decided to start with the obvious. "My car broke down on my way to see you guys."

He nodded. "That shit box was bound to break sooner rather than later."

I glared at him. "Which is when I called Pam to come and pick me up."

"Why did you not call one of us?" Godric asked.

"I knew you would say_ that_," I said pointing at Eric, who rolled his eyes.

"Of course we would have, you should be driving something safer, not to mention presentable. Something that is younger than _us_," Godric continued his argument.

"Oh! You think that's funny? Well for your information that's all I could afford until very recently! I've been saving money so I can get a newer car. I want to get my own car, damn it!"

Neither of them reacted to my raised voice with anything but calm, which made me even more frustrated.

"Lover, I thought we were past your problem of accepting gifts," Eric said his face looking exasperated.

I crossed my arms in front of my chest. "I don't have a problem with gifts, I have a problem with you thinking that you can buy me _everything_ whether I may need it, or not. I want to do this myself. I need to, Eric."

"We understand your need to be independent, ma petite, but it is not a good enough reason to put your life in jeopardy. You are being foolishly stubborn over something inconsequential. It is a car. It isn't like we are trying to present you with something that is outrageously expensive," Godric said sounding frustrated.

"Don't you understand that for me a car is an outrageously expensive gift? I'm not being unreasonable. I accepted Pam's gifts with pleasure and gratitude, even if I thought she went overboard with all the shopping." I was seething over their inability to comprehend this. Pam had brought back suitcases. Suitcases worth of clothes for me! I didn't say one thing apart from a gracious thank you. I just didn't have it in me to protest when I'd seen the unguarded smile on her face.

Eric looked at me with wry amusement. "I'm sure it was very hard for you to stay quite on the subject, but this is a little more serious than clothes."

"Well, I can afford to buy a car now. And I was going to talk to you about it tonight," I said.

He looked startled at the news.

"I was just telling Sookie before you came that we will be organising daytime protection for her." Godric said to Eric.

"She has agreed?" He asked not trying to hide his shock.

"Do you think after tonight—" Godric started.

"I think that we will need to make sure she understands why we do this." Eric looked at me assessing my current mood.

I waved my hands. "The _she_ you are talking about is sitting right here."

"We are aware of that, ma petite, but you are being particularly stubborn about this," Godric said to me, frowning as if he couldn't understand why. Of course he couldn't. He wasn't the one whose life will be monitored.

"What happened after?" Eric asked, getting us back on track.

"I was waiting in the car for Pam to show up when I heard their minds." I said, suppressing a shudder as I remembered.

"How many?" He leaned forward letting his arms rest on his knees.

I thought back trying to remember. "A dozen or so, I think."

"Could you pick up what they wanted?"

"No. It was weird. I only got that they wanted to get me, but not why, and not for whom."

He leaned back running a hand through his hair. "That is unfortunate since it would seem you did not leave any survivors."

"So sorry," I drawled out with sarcasm.

He lips twitched. "I am not so callous as to not be grateful that you are safe, lover, merely that it would have been better if we knew why they were after you." He looked over at Godric to see if he would add anything else.

"They had the mark," Godric told him.

"What?' Eric said hissing, his fangs popped out. "Why haven't you mentioned that before?'

"I don't think Pam knew to look for it, nor Sookie. I saw it only when we were disposing of the bodies."

The feeling of missing something vital made me want to ask questions, but Eric looked scarier than I've seen him in months so I stayed silent, listening, and hoping I'd understand what it was that they were talking about.

"That changes things," he said.

Godric shrugged his shoulders carelessly. He was wearing a light beige jumper and the cashmere moved silkily along with the movement. "I do not see how, they are dead. If I had known before hand who they were then I would have kept some alive."

"You should have anyway," Eric pointed out to him.

Godric raised an eyebrow at him. "My priorities were elsewhere, Eric, as yours should be now."

"This is nothing to do with priorities. You know why I seek them out."

"I do, but I am not about to apologies for this."

The atmosphere in the room was getting rather strained. I wasn't sure what they were talking about. There have been too many revelations tonight and my body was screaming at me after such a long day. Tired mentally and a little sore, it wasn't that I needed sleep, but more that I didn't want to think about all this right now. Sleep was an oblivion that would take me out of my current situation. I was stuck in a room with two vampires on hormones, and I wanted badly to get the hell out of the crossfire.

I took a deep breath, making the decision to interrupt their stare down. "Since we can't really do all that much about the wolves tonight— seeing as none of them are available for questioning, can someone tell why this tattoo is so important?"

Godric was the first one to look my way. "They are part of a pack that we have been following for centuries."

"The same pack?" I asked, incredulous. Surely werewolves didn't live as long as vampires, they had the same life span as humans, or a little longer anyway.

Godric nodded in acknowledgment. "While the members changed, the pack and its leader stayed the same. You know that Weres and vampires don't generally get along?"

I nodded, staying silent since Eric looked pissed enough to kill and I wasn't entirely sure why.

"Well this pack is different. We believe that they follow a vampire. They are all stronger and faster than a normal were, something that you might not have noticed since you've never had to fight against one."

Half knowing the answer as to why that may be I looked between them to see if Eric might add anything, he stayed silent until I asked, "Why?"

"Because they are all blood addicts!" He spat the words out. I've never seen Eric this emotionally unstable over something. It scared me.

"You mean they drink vampire blood?"

"Yes. They are addicted to it." Godric filled me in.

Weres on steroids, well, fuck.

"And they are after me," I said, more to myself. "Is it too much of a coincidence that a pack of were you've been hunting for, well, centuries would show up now and want your, well, girlfriend?" The girlfriend title felt stilted when I said it, it felt just plain weird, but I wasn't about to say human, since I wasn't that, and I was most certainly not a pet as most humans were to vampires. That didn't leave me all that many options since marriage wasn't legal yet, nor will it be to more than one spouse at a time. Jesus Christ, Shepherd of Judea, but my love life was complicated.

"As far as we know they are not aware that we hunt them still, but it is not a possibility we can rule out," Eric said and his voice was cold. "Even if that was proven false, they were still after you, specifically, tracking you down in the woods when you were alone. Godric is right on this, lover, you will need constant protection until we can resolve the situation."

I stared at him in disbelief, my hopes of having support suddenly blown away. "You too?"

I noticed humour returning to his features as he took in my reaction. "It will only be for a little while. Besides, it'll be the perfect excuse for you to use my car for now, so you have time to shop for one."

I smiled despite myself at how easily Eric managed to turn the situation to his advantage. "You are a manipulative bastard," I told him, but the words lacked sting.

He chuckled. "If I am, I must be doing something wrong."

"Oh?"

He smouldered at me. "We should be naked and doing more pleasurable things."

I blushed. No matter how long I have spent in his company his frankness about certain things always made me flustered.

"What about the surprise you had planned?" I asked in a shaky voice, his amorous mood contagious as my body started to tingle in awareness of what he'd planned for me later. I didn't have a single doubt that it would be all naughty and very, very nice.

"It can wait for another night, ma petite," Godric said as he got up and walked over to me. I looked up at him and smiled. His fingers caressed my cheek, his eyes staying hooded. Then he bent down and kissed my forehead. "I'll be back later, ma petite."

And I watched, bewildered, as he strode out the glass door onto the balcony before taking flight.

I stared at the spot where Godric had taken off in shock. Did I do something wrong? Maybe he was finally sick of me. I felt a tugging on my heart, hurt despite the knowledge that I shouldn't be.

Strong hands settled on my shoulders and I felt cool air hit my ear. "He is not mad at you, lover, more at himself. He needs time."

I looked over at Eric behind me. "Really?" My voice small, unsure.

He nodded, and somehow his simple reassurance made things better.

He kissed my neck and stood up. "How about a game of chess?"

I laughed at his sudden turn about from the lustful thoughts of only moments earlier, but thankful as well, since there wasn't much of anything amorous left in me just now. I was too busy worrying over Godric.

"You will beat me again." I pouted playfully, though my heart wasn't quiet in the words. I couldn't switch moods as fast as the vampires I lived with had been doing. It wasn't in me.

He smirked at me. "In that case shall we play for something?"

I didn't need to be a telepath to know what he had in mind. I got up as well. "A no-bodyguard rule while I'm at home? Can't I just call one when I want to go out?"

His arms wrapped around me and he looked down. "That does not need to be part of the wager, I can understand you needing space, and you will be safe enough on the property. And I'll make sure Godric agrees to this. He is not unreasonable, lover, just overprotective at times. Now, if I win you will be my mine to do with as I please until sunrise."

I felt instantly better, the idea of being under constant surveillance was something I couldn't tolerate. The idea of being at his complete mercy for the rest of the night—

"And if I win." I whispered. All at once my heart raced and stuttered as my body reacted to him, and the images the words put in my head.

"Then you will have me at your mercy, lover." Eric's irises had dilated at the same time as he breathed me in, my arousal giving me away.

"Done."

I took the bottles and my glass to the kitchen as he set up the chess board. It was set up in an alcove where I suppose we could have put the dinning table. We didn't need one, seeing as vampires don't eat, I was the only human who had access to this place at the moment. When they build the house it had been built with the idea in mind that it could be sold later with minimum alterations. Eric, the pragmatist. When I got back with new drinks he was lounging in the armchair as he waited for me to get comfortable.

"You know, I may just let you win," he said, while I got comfortable in the chair opposite his. "I'm hardly losing out if I do."

I looked up to see him smirking.

"That's cheating!" I cried outraged.

He raised his eyebrow at me. I stared at him in disbelief.

"You wouldn't!"

"I am a sneaky vampire," he said it as though it was fact, completely unrepentant.

"Despite your less than stellar qualities and occasional underhandedness you are too competitive to just let me win," I pointed out with confidence.

He gave me an indulgent smile before making the first move (he had the white pieces). "Don't underestimate my willingness to sacrifice a win at chess for a higher pleasure." He waggled his eyebrows at me making me laugh. This particular manipulative vampire managed to erase my bad mood in record time.

"So, should I be trying to get you to win since it sounds like you are determined to let me win?" I moved my pawn.

"No. I say we work towards a common goal tonight." He made his move.

"You are asking for trouble." I moved another pawn.

He winked at me before moving his knight.

A playful Eric was just distracting.

"How was Fangtasia? I'm working tomorrow night?" I asked to get myself off the thoughts of what I could be doing to him if I won.

"Nothing out of the ordinary; it would seem that you had all the excitement tonight." He rubbed his chin distractedly as he considered his next move. "We have a few vampires coming in with their pets tomorrow."

The area vampires had been informed of the resident telepath, and encouraged to bring in any business or personal human contacts to Fangtasia for me to read for potential trouble. So far I've weeded out a few V addicts, a day man that was stealing money, a highly successful career woman who worked as a daywoman hoping to be turned at some point soon, and another one that was using the vampire's possession to show off in front of his girlfriend. How they had thought that they could get away with that was beyond me. Why would you want to risk being found out?

"Nothing for the day?"

"No. Bobby is going to be busy inspecting a few properties I am interested in." Eric said. Unfortunately for me, he looked up before I could hide my sour expression. "What?"

"Nothing." I concentrated on the chess board in front of me as I tried to see a few moves ahead like Eric taught me to and conspicuously ignoring his curiosity over my reaction. Playing chess has become something we'd do on regular basis, it was his favourite game. I didn't win often.

"You did not look all that happy when I mentioned Bobby. Has he been bothering you?"

I shifted in my seat. Bobby was Eric's dayman, and while he was completely devoted to Eric, he didn't like me at all.

"He hasn't." Technically it was true. I didn't consider his thoughts as bothering so much as a nuisance. He hated me.

"Then why did you look like you ate something sour?" He asked.

"It's nothing."

"Sookie." The cautionary tone of his voice made me realise I wasn't going to get away without telling him.

I looked up at him, scowling. "He doesn't like me that's all. But he isn't rude to me, or anything." I added the last bit since Bobby didn't say anything rude, he just thought it.

Eric considered me, the chess game forgotten for the moment. "You would not have reacted that way if that was the case. What aren't you telling me?"

Why couldn't he just leave it be like a normal person? "I told you the truth. He isn't really rude to me. He just thinks rude things. He doesn't really like me."

I watched as Eric's face darkened. "I will kill him." It was a statement I didn't doubt.

"Eric! That's exactly why I didn't want to tell you!" I exclaimed, exasperated. "Not everyone has to like me. Really, it's fine."

"It isn't fine, as you put it. Would you prefer it if I fired him then?"

I winced. "Do you have to do either one? Can you just let it go?"

He shook his head.

"He is a good dayman for you," I pointed out.

"If he was then he wouldn't have a problem with you. I can find someone else to run my errands. Someone who doesn't have his head stuck up his ass and knows that in order to stay on my good side he would have to get along with you."

"Why?" I asked, curious. "I hardly spend any time with him anyway." It was true, most of the time I went on my day appointments with a bodyguard, since I told Bobby from early on I could look after myself.

Eric eyes flashed and I saw his fangs peek out. Oh! I forgot I didn't mention that to him. I tried not the guilt inside me, feeling like a child caught with a hand half way in the cookie jar. "He has not been accompanying you?"

The chess game was forgotten. "Well, I told him I didn't need him too."

"I left instructions for him to always accompany you during the times you work," he said with a more pronounced accent. 'How long?"

I forced myself to look back up at him. He was pissed, no doubt about that. "A while."

"Sookie."

"Since almost the beginning, okay? I didn't want to tell you because it was just fine by me as well. I get along better without him anyway," I said sulking over being told off. Again. The feeling of being treated like a child didn't sit well with me.

He gave me a reproachful look. "Pam is right; you are a lot of trouble."

I stood with so much force that the armchair almost flew back. My new strength wasn't on par to that of a vampire, but it was still more than the average human, or even a strong human really.

"If I am so much trouble maybe I should leave!" I stomped off to the kitchen as tears clouded my vision. Tonight was turning out far from the perfect romantic evening that I'd imagined. The whole night went from anticipating some fun times with my two vampires to a complete nightmare and now I was being treated worse than a child. Well, I wasn't a child. I was an independent woman, damn it, one that was stuck with not one, but two, very protective, and controlling boyfriends.

I rubbed my eyes in an effort to get rid of the moisture as I stood leaning against the counter.

"I can't even leave. I don't have a car, damn it!" I shouted. The words lacking necessary heat, I sounded defeated. "Why can't you two ever take me seriously?"

Strong arms wrapped around me in the same instance. "We do, lover, and if feels like we do not, it is not our intent." He kissed my hair as he hugged me. "Godric is very protective, but he has his own reasons for that."

"Really, like what?" I asked, sceptical since I couldn't picture what could possibly make him want to treat me like a porcelain doll in a glass house.

His hands started kneading my stomach and moving up towards other areas, and I could feel his interest get diverted from the conversation as another part of him came to attention.

"You will have to ask him yourself, lover, it is not something I learnt about until very recently. It isn't something that I feel could be shared for him," he whispered and his hands reached my breasts, my body arching as he played with them.

I let my head fall back onto his chest and turned looking for his lips, he kissed me. Our lips danced in a slow dance as he rubbed and pushed against my back.

"You are trying to distract me with sex." I didn't recognise my own voice as I said the words; there was need, desire and sex rolled into one.

"We've had enough trouble for one night, besides I believe you need to relax. And I have a fantasy to fulfil." He smouldered down at me.

"Oh?" I asked hopefully, we have been slowly making our way through his list. He started one in Dallas, and fortunately that list seemed to be never ending, since he always seemed to add something new before we even managed to knock off a few things. I didn't mind all that much. Not one little bit to be honest. My Viking could be very, very creative…

He turned me around and in less time than you could think _sex_ I was divested of my pants and panties, and sitting on the kitchen counter.

"Eric!" I squirmed, laughing, as the cool granite under my butt made my skin tingle. "It's cold!"

"You won't notice it for long," he said confidently before spreading my legs and kissing my inner thigh.

"I'm noticing it now," I told him, my voice catching when he play bit the sensitive skin. The sight of him on his knees, between my legs took my breath away. He slid me slightly forward.

"Watch me lover."

I nodded, and struggled to keep my eyes open as he proceeded to prove to me just how quickly I could forget about the cold marble, and everything else, really…twice…that was the appetizer.

…It was unforgettable…

Much later when we were both pleasantly exhausted and relaxing in bed Godric silently walked in. He didn't say anything since I was in the middle of telling Eric about my day —something that had become a ritual for us at this time of the night— he just slid in next to us, wrapping an arm around my stomach loosely. I paused, I knowing that this wasn't the time to confront him, wanting to anyway. Everything in me wanted to ask, to make him open up to me. I didn't. Instead, I put my hand on top of his and squeezed. He squeezed back. And just like that I knew everything will be fine. I kept on talking after that, but with a lighter heart, and a smile in my voice that had nothing to do with amazing sex marathons. And when the sun rose I was asleep safely resting between two very protective, bull headed, and completely loveable vampires, who for some reason loved me too.


	3. Chapter 3

_A huge thank you to all of you for the reviews! I love you for that. Those reviews help me get through work and give me the energy after to sit and write, even though there's been little time to do anything lately._

_I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas (I'll be at work *sigh*). A massive New Year party (hopefully I won't be working then). And all the best for the upcoming year. It has been wonderful having your support and encouragement through out this year, without which I would never have finished Dying Love, let alone start the sequel. :) I'm so glad my stories entertain, and even more so when you let me know that. :) _

_I have plenty of ideas and plans for our favourite threesome. Their story is nowhere near finished. As a matter of fact I've recently come to the conclusion that it will take me more than two sequels to get through it all. :) I'm excited, are you?_

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, CH and HBO own the characters and I play in their sandbox.**

**

* * *

**

I was on my way back to Bon Temps just after twelve the next day. My conscious was feeling guilty as the car came closer to the place of last night altercation (word of the day).

Eric did leave me the keys to his cars, but I still felt that nagging sense that I was doing something I shouldn't be. Shaking off the feeling wasn't easy; I knew that Godric wouldn't be happy with me going out alone so soon after the attack. I doubted he knew that Eric had given me the keys to his precious corvette either, as an alternative to the monster truck. The Escalade felt the size of a semi-trailer on the road. I used it when I had to go somewhere on business, but this was the first time I was actually driving it. There was no way in hell I was going to drive the corvette!

Though Eric did say I could, I didn't need to be telepathic to read the expression on his face at the time, or more the begging he did with those big, pretty blue eyes of his. "Please pick the Escalade, pretty please," they said to me. I almost laughed at him; a vampire with puppy eyes.

This morning, over coffee, I had considered taking the corvette just so I could watch Eric's attempt to inconspicuously inspect it for damage. My practical side won over the argument; after all the Escalade made for a good weapon should I need one. I hated my practical side.

I slowed the car when as I passed the familiar stretch of the road looking to see if there was anything amiss. Unsurprising, there wasn't a thing out of place. Not even the road showed black bloody stains. I wondered who was on Pam's cleaning crew, and how they managed to dry-clean the road. Gran sure would have liked to drill for specifics.

Unease spread through me, if it hadn't been for the vampires I'd be long gone, and who knows what those wolves would have done. Werewolves on vampire blood. I shivered and pressed on the accelerator.

Merlotte's was busy when I pulled in, it was a weekday, and the lunch crowd hadn't completely dispersed. People seemed to enjoy lingering over their drinks on a sunny winter day.

Arlene was carrying a large tray with drinks and a chicken strip basket when I walked in, and she gave me a small smile. I had my shields up, but I could tell that she wasn't entirely happy to see me. Arlene and I haven't been the same since the whole Rene business. I hadn't really told her who I was seeing, even though she'd asked, and she'd taken that the wrong way. As much as I wanted to be able to talk to my old friend, she was one of the biggest gossips around, and I didn't want the whole town finding out about my private life.

I gave her a wave and went over to the bar. Sam was pouring a beer from the tap and I saw Phedre waiting on an order at the kitchen window. My smile for Phedre and Lafayette —who was in the kitchen— was somewhat more genuine.

"Afternoon, Cher. I didn't think I'd see you till your next shift," Sam said in greeting.

My smile became strained. "I know, but I needed to talk to you."

He gave me a questioning look, but kept on pouring drinks. "Give me a few minutes; we can talk in my office."

I slid onto a bar stool to wait for him and Sam poured me a coke. It was odd sitting here just like any other customer. Sure, I've sat on this side of the bar a few times, after all it's not like there were a lot of alternatives for a night out in a place like Bon Temps. But it hadn't been that often and now I wasn't wearing my uniform; that made it even odder.

"How did last night go?" Phedre asked when she had a minute. I noticed Sam paying attention as well.

"Well, it was certainly an eventful evening, but not in the way I would have liked," I told her, carefully wording my answer.

"What happened?" Her enthusiasm went down a notch as she picked up on my meaning.

I looked around to make sure no one was paying us any attention, they weren't, but I leaned over just in case.

"My car broke down in the middle of nowhere, and then Werewolves tried to kidnap me," I said, and was proud of the fact that my voice stayed steady. Her genuine concern made me want to cry all of a sudden. Sure, I'd gotten over the shock, but with all the talking I'd had to do last night after they reality of the situation didn't sink in until this morning. I'd been alone then, my vampires dead to the world, and had stubbornly refused to think about anything. Now, having repeated the minimum of facts to Sam and Phedre I felt everything I should have felt then, and last night.

"Maybe we better go to my office," Sam said, looking at me with concern.

I set my jaw, willing the tears to go away. "I'm not about to cry, Sam, so finish up your drink orders and then we'll talk," I told him firmly, hating the momentary weakness.

He went a little red before nodding and getting back to working. It seemed that my vampires were not the only ones who didn't know how to handle a weeping woman. Phedre squeezed my hand before walking off and I kept my eyes on the coke in front of me, praying that the tears in my eyes would go away.

Naturally, Sam wanted to hear the whole story. He was my friend, he'd worry about me whether I told him or not, and nobody said I couldn't tell my friends. I also wanted to warn him to be careful. After all they were after me, and everyone around here knew where I worked. Sam would be a natural target should they need bait to lure me out.

When I was done talking he didn't look happy.

"What did they want?" He asked, familiar lines of a frown settling on his face.

I tugged at my jumper, a purple cashmere piece of heaven that Godric surprised me with when the weather turned cold (Eric would have picked red). "I have no idea. I couldn't read their minds, and then it was too late," I replied. Sam was a supe; he understood how things worked in this world better than I did on any given day.

His hair all messed up as he ran his hand through it yet again, something he'd always done when he was frustrated or worried. "I don't understand this, why would Weres try to kidnap you? I mean, it's not like they're working for vampires," he finally said. Sam was a good looking man. I always thought so, but when his hair was a mess like now he looked even better. I didn't think of him in that way, but I could still appreciate the fact that Sam's a fine catch, just not for me. I was glad he seemed happy now with Phedre. She knew and accepted his other, furrier side. She's a dryad, I was pretty sure she had a lot of supernatural secrets of her own.

Thinking about his question, I realised he wasn't completely right. "Sam, I think they were working for a vampire," I told him quietly.

His face turned into a grimace, like he tasted something awful. "Weres working for a fanger? Sookie, are you sure?"

I nodded. You can see the prejudice ran both ways, Eric and Godric were just the same about shifters and Weres.

"I told you they weren't good for you." He pointed out to me making me huff in indignation while preparing myself for another one of those talks. He put up his hands in defence reading my mood. "I'm not going to preach at you, I know it won't help, and besides, I can see you're happy, Chere. I just wish you found happiness elsewhere, is all."

"Is that you way of telling me I have your blessing?" I asked cautiously, trying to keep my excitement to a minimum.

His mouth turned up on one side, "In away, I guess. You're happy. That's all that matters to me." Then he turned serious. "I just hoped those two can protect you from all the trouble you always seem to get into."

Oh, he had no idea how seriously they took my protection.

"I actually came to talk to you about that," I told him, glad he didn't give me a lecture, and pleasantly glowing from the fact that he approved, or at least didn't disapprove too much. Normally I'd have said that it didn't matter. My private life wasn't anyone's business, but Sam was my boss, and one of my closest friends, somehow with the absence of Gran, his approval meant a lot to me.

"What? They want you to quit?" He asked sarcastically. Well, damn, so much for his approval.

"Actually, I do, although, they aren't unhappy with my decision." The approval from earlier seemed to have vanished with my new news leaving him scowling. "Sam, we both know it was a matter of time before I quit, besides the girls here need the money from my shifts a lot more than I do. I've only been working because I'll miss you all so darn much, and I didn't want to let you go."

"Why now then?"

I looked away, embarrassed. "Godric is organising a full time guard for me, and there would be too many questions if I always came in with a tail. He'd wanted to for a while, after last night…" I trailed off, I didn't need to finish. Sam understood. The irony of the guard making more money while sitting there watching me serve drinks didn't escape me either. It would have been plain stupid, really.

Sam looked at me with regret, the look reminiscent of the oh-so-cute collie that he morphed into once a month. Damn puppy eyes.

"Sam, I'll still come round to see you. I promise." My eyes clouded as tears threatened to break through. "I'm keeping the house, well, Phedre will leave in it, but I promise to come and visit as often as I can."

"I'll hold you to that, Chere, but I'm still sad to let you go. The bar won't be the same without you; you're my best waitress after all."

I beamed at him. "Thanks, Sam."

He came around his desk as I stood up. We hugged each other, and I let my shields drop a little to discover that he really was happy for me. Worried, but also happy. He was also thinking that Phedre would be alone all the time now, and that his trailer was a little too small and too close to work.

"You know you can move into my house whenever you guys want to, I'll clear up my room so you can have the bigger bedroom," I whispered.

"You do realise it's impolite to do that," he said pulling away and giving me an admonishing look, but he was smiling.

"I can't help it." I smiled back with cheek, getting a chuckle from him for my effort.

"Don't be a stranger now, and if you need anything at all, we're all here for you," he told me.

I nodded. I couldn't ever picture my life without Sam. He'd become one of my closest friends. His dog problem, though I didn't consider it as such, was more of a blessing for me, it meant that I could turn to him with things I couldn't talk to almost anyone else. After all everyone needed someone to talk to, a friend to listen to their problems. It was nice to know I still had one in my former boss. "Thanks, Sam."

"No, don't you start crying on me. Are you going to come in for your next shift?"

I made a face at him in answer. He sighed with a mixture of exasperation and frustration. "I'm sure Phedre would take it anyway," I told him to get his mind of imagining ways to make my vampires' undead lives difficult. He would just get himself into trouble. "She's mighty nice, isn't she?" He looked so goofy I couldn't hold back a giggle.

"Yes, she is. I really like her," Sam told me. It warmed my heart to see him so happy. Sam deserved a little happiness. We all did.

"I know. I'm happy for you." I told him and hugged my former boss and best-friend once again. "Very happy."

~V~

Lunch at Merlotte's brought back memories. There were all the good times I've had here, some of the bad. No matter how often you look back on your life there is always a feeling that things were simpler before. All things feel less painful, less dramatic with time. Life had been like that before I met Bill. Simple. Nice. Easy…. Boring.

Gran had been alive, that loss haunted me still. And yet, I was happy now too, just in a different way. Missing Gran was becoming easier every day, I'd never forget her, but her absence didn't hurt as much anymore.

Phedre sat down across from me as she brought me a chicken salad, one of the few healthy choices Merlotte's had to offer. She smiled at me, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. She was worried. She'd been busy working while Sam and I talked, and now I was going to have to re-tell everything again.

"I'm fine." I told her firmly, and I truly believed it myself.

Phedre didn't. She gave me a stern look before asking, "How did you escape?"

"Pam and Godric came to my rescue," I told her as I forked some lettuce.

She didn't speak for a moment, and when I looked up I saw her eyes had changed colour, shifting from their normal hazel colour to emerald green. Dryads are peaceful creatures; they were not what I would call completely without claws. I've seen Phedre upset, once, never wanted to again. I felt my heart speed up as I quickly broke eye contact, putting all my attention back on the salad, unsure why she was this upset. Surely not over what had happened? It wasn't her fault my car broke, or that those Weres came after me.

"I should have gone with you," she said after a moment. I stared at her in shock.

"I would have been able to protect you," she insisted

"What?" Her obvious belief in what she was saying had me spluttering. Thank goodness I'd swallowed the last bit of food, or I'd have had her covered in chewed up salad by now. "Why would you do that? Neither one of us knew it was going to happen, and I ended up being fine."

The look she was giving me told me she thought I wasn't thinking straight, that I was being stupid. I didn't think I was, but I was beginning to wonder about her sanity.

"You are important, Sookie. Lexie asked me to make sure you are protected while in Bon Temps, and I failed her." She didn't look like she was looking forward to hearing what Lexie had to say to her when she found out. I didn't care.

"She did what?" I squeaked heedless of the attention my raised voice would bring to our conversation. I was going to have words with my new aunt, and she was not going to enjoy them.

"Yes. And she is right, with your position and lack of training, you are lucky it was only a pack of wolves. And even luckier someone was there to keep them from taking you," she told me, looking grim.

"How do you know about my position, and everything else?" I asked. I hadn't mentioned Lexie, or my new relatives to Phedre before. I've never even trained in front of her. Lexie had insisted on as few people as possible knowing that I was training. The strategy was to keep that under wraps, giving me an advantage with my enemies being ignorant about my self-defence abilities. After last night I didn't think it was that much of an advantage. Phedre raised her eyebrow, making it abundantly clear how silly it was that I asked. She's been around for centuries, sure, but I didn't think that would qualify her to know _everything_.

"Let me guess, you've known for a while, huh?"

She laughed at my expression and my mouth curved up, unable to keep myself from being wrapped up in her laughter despite the fact that I was still half mad at her and Lexie. Phedre was like that and her good moods completely contagious. I wasn't sure if I liked my mood being manipulated, but in retrospect making a scene in the middle of a busy diner would probably number among the more stupid things to do.

"Sookie, I've known Lexie for a while. I've been to Underworld, and visited fairy on more than one occasion. We are not exactly friends, but we do keep in touch. You are forgiven for not saying anything, by the way. It is a commendable trait that you have kept it all to yourself. I'm sorry I didn't mention it earlier, but I felt it would be better to let you come to me first." She patted my hand in a motherly way.

"I didn't know. Lexie never mentioned it, and I never really asked," I told her honestly. Unable to stay mad at her, I might be mad at my aunt, but I could understand where Phedre was coming from.

"It's of no consequence now. I know, and now you know that I know. The question is what are your vampires going to do now? It is my guess that you are here for that reason, they must have told you about the bodyguard Godric had been trying to organise for you."

"What? He has been planning this for a while?" So much for my not causing a scene, my voice was steadily rising with every new revelation, and a few people turned our way to have a look if there was gossip to be had. I glared at them long enough to make them turn back to their food.

"Well, yes, ever since he found out about your heritage, but a bodyguard like the one he wants is not an easy find. Although, I think now, it may be imperative he does." She said to me, and got up to take care of a table in her section. I watched her leave wanting to call her back and ask all the questions suddenly burning in my head.

The lunch crowd had been slowly disappearing while I had been talking to Sam and Phedre. What I didn't notice straight away was that the dinner crowd had been trickling in. My chances to talk to Phedere dwindled down to nothing as table by table filled up with customers. It was a busy night, and I knew from my own experience of working here that she'd have no time to have a breather let alone a sit down conversation with me. The questions I had to ask warranted more privacy anyway.

In the end I had to go, I wanted to stop by Gran's house before heading back to Shreveport. There were a few things I was going to need if I wasn't coming back to Bon Temps for a while and there certainly wouldn't be another opportunity like today in my future once Godric found out I left Eric's house unprotected.

It chafed. The overly protectiveness he had for me. I wished he'd tell me why he was that way. It was more than the few incidents when my life was in danger recently. It had to be. Godric was a reasonable person— vampire and he's always ready to compromise with me, expect for in this.

Then there were the things I found out today from Phedre today.

I said my goodbyes to Sam and tried to pay for lunch, but he declined. He told me to come back as often as I could, and gave me another big hug that had me blushing as red as a tomato all the way to the car, but with a bounce in my step and a silly little smile on my face. Though the thought of loosing me made Sam sad, he was happy for me, and that meant a lot.

Phedre left me with a lot to think about and not just about who was going to be looking after me. The news of Godric looking for a bodyguard had me worried. Sure I knew that he planned for me to have one, but having my reality opened up to include a few extra dimensions recently I was worried as to what, and from where, exactly my guard would be.

Before I knew I was seeing the familiar stretch of Hummingbird lane. I wondered if it was the big car, or the fact that my mind was so full of thoughts, and surely the turning off from Hummingbird lane was further away than this. Probably both. The two miles of road from there on were gone in a blink, especially since the gravel had been levelled and the pot holes filled.

I came up the old back porch after parking the car in my usual spot around the back of the house.

The garden, despite it being winter time was well cared for, and surprisingly green, some plants even flowering, I hoped they'd be all right if a sudden cold spell hit. Gran had always loved spending her time in the garden, and she would have loved seeing it so well tended. Phedre had a green thumb and I had a strong feeling that these flowers would survive the coldest spell, her being a dryad helped.

The new screen door barely squeaked as I opened it to get onto the porch, which was bug and leaf free. The money from my work in Dallas had been a blessing at the time, even with all the repairs Lexie had done, the screens were something Gran and I talked about installing for years. With them in place, the back veranda had been the perfect place to sit in the evenings, and when the weather turned chilly I just wrapped myself in an old afghan. It was "hideous", according to some very opinionated blond vampires, but very much loved by this telepath.

My stomach was uneasy before tonight; I had known that sooner or later the time would come to leave this house behind. My job at Merlotte's hadn't been the only thing that I knew needed to change. Even if I wasn't selling it, and that was something I could never, ever do, moving was out was a big decision. Then I mentally shook myself, after all with the amount of time I've spent in Shreveport, you'd think it wouldn't really matter. Yet it did.

I made myself a cup of coffee, settling in on the porch swing at the front, and wrapping myself in the colourful afghan, I took in my surroundings. The porch was newly re-built, and painted, and like the rest of the house it looked wonderful. The old swing had been too damaged to repaired, so I had it replaced with a new one, with comfortable azure cushions that had small apple flowers on them. The tree that had been molested but Maryann and her followers back in September, and by molested I mean turned into a very unwholesome, and nasty smelling meat stump. It was supposedly meant to be a sacrifice of some sort, or maybe a present for the god Maryann had worshipped, but from Lexie's response when I asked her I'd figured the god in questions wouldn't have appreciated the effort that was put in on his behalf.

Now, thanks to the loving green touch of a certain dryad, that tree was looking more alive than I've seen it in years, and just last year Gran was talking about cutting it down. I've loved the old tree, it was a pear tree, and flowered at the end of winter and early spring. It had always reminded me that summer was around the corner. It was a good thing Phedre saved it, no, a grand thing.

Memories. Memories of my childhood, Gran, mixed in with my more recent bittersweet memories of Bill, and the tentatively hopeful ones of Eric and Godric.

The Stackhouse family have lived in this house for over one hundred and fifty years, a long time, a lot of history. I've lived on this land, in this house, from the age of seven, and I loved it.

I sat there, watching the sun make its lazy way across the sky, enjoying the warmth of sunshine before it disappeared behind the trees. But after a while the cool air broke through my reverie.

The first thing I did when after I washed my cup was go to my room. There wasn't much to pack, a few pieces of clothing, some old photos, and several books. Most things were either too old for me to even bother taking, or I wouldn't need them. Eric's house had everything in it already, and bringing anything other than sentimental things would be unnecessary. There were a few portraits and a vase my Gran loved that I put in the box to take with me, other than that, if I really needed anything I'd come back again.

It hit me then, the realisation; I'd moved out of my ancestral home already and hadn't noticed. If I was honest with myself, there really hadn't been any point of me stopping here, but I did for sentimental reasons rather than any real need.

A knock on the front door startled me.

While I'd been busy going down memory lane, and packing what was left of my life here in Bon Temps, the sun had set. It was dark outside and my visitor could be anyone.

Of course if it was someone who wished to harm me I doubt they'd be knocking (unless they couldn't cross the threshold), still caution made me edge towards the door with as much stealth as I could muster. It was a good thing that I knew every floor board that creaked, something that Lexie's renovation hadn't fixed, and I carefully avoided them, but it slowed my progress down even more. It took me so long to get there, and to think about what to do next, that by the time I made it to the front door I heard a voice that replaced panic with dismay, not improving my willingness to move any faster.

Bill was on the other side of the door I was staring at. Just what I needed tonight, I thought, a high note of sarcasm present even in my head.

"Sookie, are you there?" he asked again.

I wasn't sure what to say. Did I want to talk to him? Was there anything left to say between us? In the end there was nothing left to do but open the door; after all he knew I was standing behind it anyway.

"Hello, Bill," I said looking at him through the screen with suspicion. Whatever he was trying to pull with this visit, I just knew it was going to bring me more trouble. My gut feeling had been right, but that was something I'd find out later.

"Good evening, Sookie," he said.

His face held all the calm assurance of an old world southern gentleman, but the unquestionable belief in him that would've had me welcoming him into the house without a second thought was long gone. I didn't move to open the screen door for him. Hospitality be damned, but I didn't want him in my house.

"Will you invite me in?" He asked his voice cool like spring water on a hot day. He was dressed in his usual casual clothes; a polo shirt in a dark green colour, and khaki pants, although in deference to the cooler weather he threw on a brown jacket. Vampires don't feel the cold like regular folks, but the years of blending had taught them to be cautious. Now days the undead walked without the need to hide, but some habits are harder to break than others.

While my heart raced from the scare, I realised it didn't jump or stutter at the sight of him like it used. It didn't earlier either, but that had gone unnoticed due to the circumstances. This revelation pleased me no end. It had bothered me that I still reacted to him that way, though the men in my life didn't care that much, I cared. Sure there was still hurt, anger and resentment, but it didn't hurt in the same way. The wound closed, scabbed, and I didn't feel the need to pick at it anymore.

I raised my eyebrow at him, somehow feeling more confident facing him tonight than I have in a long time, knowing he couldn't enter the house may have added to my bravado. "Why should I?"

"Sookie, I'd like to talk to you." And this time he didn't look so confident as he said it, no trace of his usual vampire arrogance was present. For once Bill looked weary, almost beaten.

The look on his face tugged at my heart, and I had to fight with myself to not react. "I don't think we have anything left to discuss."

"I wanted to apologies...I'd like it if we were at least friends again. Please, Sookie, hear me out."

I'd have loved nothing more than to close the door on his face. The satisfaction of hearing the lock click into place as the door to my past closed once and for all…I didn't. With everything that had happened between us, the hurt and betrayal, and after I'd already told him I didn't want to see him, still in the end I couldn't.

"Okay, we'll talk. I'll just go grab my coat." I told him before closed the door leaving him yet again staring at nothing but the wood. I couldn't quiet get rid of the small amount of satisfaction from that, but I can't say I really tried either. I wasn't in the mood for another talk and I made him wait while I got my coat, a beautiful light blue one that Pam got for me on her shopping trip, made sure my ponytail was still in place, and fixed up my lip gloss so the chilly night wind didn't get my lips all dried up. When I was satisfied he'd waited long enough I stepped outside. Bill was sitting on the swing in downtime, but he sure did get animated real quick, and before I had a chance to close the door he was standing right next to me, in my personal space, too close. I didn't like that. Stepping around him as soon as the door was closed behind me I took a few steps away before turning around to face him. Even in my coat I felt the cold air seep through, and it made me shiver as I pulled my arms around me. Bill watched me, silent, no doubt thinking it was more out of defence. I wasn't scared of him, no, just cold.

"Why are you here, Bill?" I asked knowing I didn't sound very hospitable, but he didn't deserve anything more than that in my books.

"I miss you," he said, and I tried not to gape.

Was he serious?

"It didn't look like you missed me all that much the other night," I said with sarcasm, and felt a pang of regret at sounding so crude. We weren't together, what he did now wasn't any of my business. Then I remembered that he'd come to Merlotte's on the night I worked to make sure I knew he had a date, that made me straighten my spine and glare a little more at him. 'After you cheated on me, used me, and were going to give me over to your queen to do with as she pleases, you miss me? After you made sure to rub my nose in every single time you had a date with whomever, and brought them round to the place I work, _when_ I was working there, you have the gall to tell me this? What makes you think I would want to even speak to you after all that? Even if I hadn't already told you I do not want to see, or talk to you unless I have to!"

I knew my temper was rising as my voice grew louder, but there wasn't anything to be done for it. I didn't really want to control it anyway; he deserved to be yelled at, deserved more than just that. It was an unchristian though, but there wasn't much Christian left in me at that moment. This conversation felt eerily familiar to the one we had a few months back, and I wondered how I ended up talking to him again when I distinctly told him I didn't want to see him.

"Sookie, I-" He started, but I cut him off.

"Spare me the lies, Bill. You already told me you were sorry, it doesn't make anything better."

His jaw clenched. "I wasn't going to. I know what I did is inexcusable, but I'd hoped you might want to try and salvage our friendship. I'd hoped we could at least talk, you loved talking to me."

"I have someone else to talk to now, someone who doesn't lie to me, besides; I'm not going to be here much anymore. I quit Merlotte's tonight," I said with a note of victory in my voice, the uncertainty I'd started to feel about making the final move to Shreveport well hidden.

"You're moving in with them?" He hissed.

"Yes. I am, and that, Bill Compton, is none of your damn business," I told him primly. I should have been scared, but I was too mad to get scared of him right now.

"It is my business. You are my business."

I glimpsed his fangs. How dare he!

"No, I am not! You gave up that right when you lied to me! Betrayed me! Used me!" I yelled back oblivious to the danger, or maybe despite of it. My heart was racing as Bill made a step towards me, hands clenching at his sides betrayed him as he tried to control himself.

"Sookie, I gave up so much for you. I never wanted us to end up like this."

"You gave up something? What? You were going to pass me along to your queen whenever she asked. Give me some credit, I may be a small town bumpkin, but that doesn't make me stupid." I spat out the last word, my voice harsher than I wanted it to be. The bitterness I still felt over his betrayal, the ease with which he manipulated me, and my own innocence had my stomach twisted in knots.

"I had plans. I wasn't going to give you up."

"But you did not love me!" I screamed at him, almost launching myself towards him, needing to hurt him, like it would even out the score between us. It wouldn't, he'd just heal, and I'd still hurt. The scar left behind by his treachery would bleed inside me, still did though I thought it had healed, but tonight somehow, somewhere during this conversation the scab came off, and it may always bleed no matter how much time had passed. I had gotten over my first love, but obviously not my first real betrayal.

Bill bent his head, as though I had hit me physically, not answering. He couldn't. We both knew that. I let the silence stretch between us. The trees shivered as cool night air took a hold around us, darkness seeping into the corners, turning the world a little more dangerous, a little more foreign.

I breathed the cool air, it seared my lungs. My heart was loud in the silence.

"I'm leaving for a while." Bill said without looking up at me. "I know that you're happy with them. I'm sorry about before. I…I just wish it was me."

I stared at him, confused. "You're leaving?" Somehow me leaving was different, and even though I didn't want to see him, the idea of Bill not living in the big house across the cemetery was foreign.

"Yes."

"Forever?" I whispered the word, swallowing. My mouth had suddenly gone dry.

"Would you care if it was?" he asked with sarcasm and bitterness.

"Yes." I told him honestly, I would. I may not want to see him right now, but that didn't mean that I wanted him gone, Bon Temps was his home as well.

He looked at me for a moment; I couldn't read anything on his face.

"I'd like to ask you a favour. I have no right, but I ask you anyway."

I nodded, still processing the news, unsure if I could answer in a steady voice and not wanting him to see such a weakness.

"I need you to keep something for me, and if anything happens, give it to Eric."

"Can't you just give it to him yourself?" I asked, not wanting to get mixed up between them. It was sure to be something vampire related, and more than likely to do with their politics. Last time I had gotten myself mixed up in all that was in Dallas, and I had gotten hurt.

"No." He paused, when he continued it was almost like he had to think about how to phrase the next words. "I may come back, and I'd prefer not to give this to him without real need."

This had me worried. I stepped up to Bill, putting my hand on his arm and looking up at him trying to see something I missed. "What's going one, Bill? Are you in trouble? Maybe Eric can help? Can I?"

His mouth lifted up in the corners as the expression on his face softened. "I've always admired your bravery. So strong, and yet so fragile."

I moved my hands onto my hips shifting onto one leg. Thinking back over the last few months, all the training and the latest attack I told him, "I'm not as fragile as you think."

This time I got a smile out of him. "You're human."

I opened my mouth to say that I'm not, and was just about to say something when I heard my phone ringing. We both looked towards the house, and I realised that I shouldn't be hearing it if I was human. A quick glance at Bill told me he hadn't noticed.

"You should get that," he told me quietly not looking directly my way.

"I'll call them back." I knew it would be Godric, or Eric checking to see if I was okay. Frankly I was more than a little surprised it had taken them this long to call, but maybe last night's fight took some energy out of Godric. His sleeping pattern was unpredictable. Some days he'd be up hours before sunset and others he'd sleep till the sun was completely below the horizon. Eric knew where I went, but he'd still worry. It was after dark, and I wasn't home. Our home, not here. My Gran's place wasn't home anymore. "What is it that you want me to do? I won't lie to him."

"I wouldn't ask you to, just keep it safe," Bill said in a quiet voice.

I nodded. "Be careful." There wasn't anything else to say.

He gave me another searching look and then started to move towards me as though he wanted to hug, or kiss me, but stopped before he did either one.

"Goodbye, Sookie Stackhouse, it has been a pleasure knowing you." And he was gone leaving me with a certain sense that I might not be seeing Bill Compton again. No matter how much he hurt me, I didn't wish for him to hurt, or worse, die.

Nothing could be done about it now. I'd talk to Eric later, Godric would get too upset. Eric—pragmatic as he was—would understand why I worried.

What I'd say to him about this mysterious something that Bill wanted me to look after, I didn't know, but I'd figure it out.

With nothing else left, I turned around and went inside the house and straight to my phone. I had some fast talking to do and a couple of displeased vampires to pacify.

"Hello? I'm in Bon Temps, at the farmhouse," I said when the phone was answered before the first ring, vampires had very fast reflexes. I just knew that he'd want to hear that I was safe inside my old home before anything else.

"I'm on my way to you now." Eric's smooth voice came through the speaker making me shiver all over.

I frowned despite the pleasant sensations his voice always brought on. "I thought you'd be going to Fangtasia." It wasn't a question.

"Godric and Pam will be able to handle anything that comes up, but it is too dangerous for you to be travelling alone at night right now. Don't leave the house, I will be there soon."

The phone went dead before I could reply. Typical. There wasn't much else to do while I waited but stew, so I checked over my room again, made sure everything was neat, and double checked the windows. I was about to go and call Eric again when I heard a knock on the back door. Eric knew me well; I always used the back door.

"Coming!" I called out as I walked back toward the kitchen. I could see his silhouette outlined through the glass door.

"You should have asked who it was before opening the door," he said, giving me a stern look when the door revealed his face.

"But I knew it was you." I smiled up cheekily, happy to see him.

He walked up to me, wrapping his arms around me. I felt safe. "But it might not have been."

"No. I knew it was," I replied stubbornly, getting up on tippy toes and pulling on his shirt to make him bend low enough so I could kiss his lips. He complied, and gave me a kiss that stole my breath away making me dizzy, and burning for more. Eric's kisses always did that to me. His hands travelled down, squeezing my butt before pulling me flush against him. And while I had no doubt that he was irritated that I hadn't come home earlier, Eric was most definitely happy to see me tonight. When we separated his face wore the smug look of a man who knew what he'd done, and he could most definitely smell how much he affected me.

I blushed, but didn't have the heart to reprimand him, enjoying the sensations instead. That was something I've been learning to do in the last few months.

"Lover, you look delectable, and I have missed not waking up with you," he whispered, stealing another kiss before I could compose myself. I had been busy the past week during the time he'd woken, usually an hour or so before the sun set. "Now, tell me why I can smell Bill Compton on your property."

I pushed away, needing space between us so I could think clearly.

"He came to see me tonight," I told him, not sure where to head after that.

Eric waited patiently for me to elaborate. I moved towards the sink needing a distraction to gather my thoughts. The cup I'd washed earlier was dry, so I put it away before turning around to face him. He had moved to lean on the wall, arms folded over his chest, legs crossed in a seemingly casual position. Eric was wearing a dark grey shirt tonight, and jeans; work clothes. He only ever took a jacket with him in case I may need one seeing no need to blend in like most vampires still tried to do, with his height and looks it would have been a futile experiment.

"He wanted to say good bye. He's leaving. Do you know anything about this?"

His eyebrow went up in a silent mocking. "That is all he said?"

I felt my heart squeeze, suddenly aware that maybe Bill had lied to me again. "Yes." My voice came out steadier than I felt, Eric no doubt aware of the turbulence and choosing not to comment on it. I was very grateful that he didn't.

"Then he did not tell you where he was going?"

I shook my head.

"Would you like to know?"

I steeled myself, knowing that no matter which way I chose I wouldn't like the outcome. "I'm sure he would have told me if he thought I needed to know that."

"Or maybe he was trying to make himself look the martyr in your eyes," Eric said.

"I'd have known that!" I glared up at Eric, but the effect was lost on him.

"Sookie, you are too nice to suspect people close to you," he told me, suddenly moving off the wall and next to me. His arms went on my shoulders as he searched my face. "But in this case I think he was being a coward."

"Why would you say that?" I whispered, suddenly feeling fragile all over again.

Eric took a while to answer. He searched my face carefully. I wasn't sure what he was looking for. His face didn't betray a thing, but I could see in his eyes the emotions flying too fast, too many for me to catch and decipher even one. "You understand that if a vampire decides to relocate from my area, they are obligated to inform me."

I nodded. My stomach was a heavy ball in my middle, twisting painfully.

"He's going back to Lorena," Eric said slowly, reluctantly.

I felt my old wound open yet again, ripping me open from the inside out. Twice in one night Bill Compton made me bleed. It shouldn't have hurt, but it did. Bill moving to a new place, to start again would have been different, him going back to her, now matter what had happened between us, somehow made things worse. A new betrayal.

"Why would he make me think…" I started, but emotions made my throat to think and I couldn't continue.

His hands slid down my arms, bringing me into him, and I folded into the embrace seeking comfort in the familiarity of his cool strength around me. "I do not know, but he is lucky he is not under my authority anymore, or I would rip his throat out for hurting you again."

My hands went between us and on his chest so I could look at his face. "No, Eric. I don't want you to hurt him because of me. I…I shouldn't care, I'm sorry about this."

His fingers brushed the strands of hair that fell across my face, gently tucking them behind my ear, a soft caress before he brought me back into his embrace. "You have nothing to be sorry for, dear heart. It is Bill who should feel sorry— should be sorry. Should be made to feel so if he already doesn't. If it wouldn't have damaged your feeling for me I'd have made sure of that long ago." I heard the underlying anger and frustration in his voice, no doubt his face betrayed a measure of the anger I felt running through his body where it touched mine. That was an undeniable truth, a testament of how much Eric cared for me that he would curb his instincts enough to consider my feelings.

"Let's go home," I whispered into his chest. I suddenly wanted to be as far away from Bon Temps, and my old boyfriend as I could. I was sick and tired of him hurting me, tired of letting myself be hurt, and most of all, finally impatient to be home, and wanting to enjoy Eric Northman and all he had to offer.

* * *

_Now I am well aware that this chapter lacked my usual zest, but as hard as I tried, the lemons just wouldn't squeeze. I can tell you one thing; the next one should have plenty of juice._

_Please R & R. It'll be the best present ever for me. :)_

_xxx_

_mavrosal_


	4. Chapter 4

_We made it into the new year, new decade, and hopefully, by now most are over their hangovers and sore heads. Happy New Year!_

_Last year had been full if surprises for me, trust me when I say that I surprised myself by starting to write fanfiction. I surprised myself by finishing a novel length story and proceeded to amaze myself by starting the sequel and make plans for more to come._

_I don't think any of that would have been possible without my readers. I love you guys, all of you. You make me want to write, create, and imagine my way to more fun adventures._

_I'm really looking forward to writing in 2011 and sharing it all with you guys._

_Great big thank you to my beta, MellyKen. She's awesome for checking things over! :D _

_xxx_

_p.s. speaking of…._

* * *

As it turned out we only stayed at the house long enough for me to change into something more bar appropriate. After Eric was sufficiently satisfied with my outfit, and by that I mean he picked it out himself —a short black dress, sheer black thigh highs and red pumps were his choices— we were almost ready to head to Fangtasia.

It was one of the nights when I sat in and listened to the crowd. This was by far my least favourite part of the new job as the sheriff's telepath, but it was necessary. In the months that I'd sat through the constant tirade of jealous thoughts of the fangbangers, the sexual images about Eric, Pam, Godric, and even occasionally myself; I had managed to keep more than one disaster from occurring.

Two times I'd caught spies from the Fellowship. I'd stopped counting how many underage kids Pam glamoured to keep them from coming back again, and then there were the spies from other vampire kingdoms.

Human spies of vampires from other states; those had gotten extra special attention from Eric. With my help the vampires didn't need to resort to the old fashioned ways of extracting information—something Pam pouted about each and every time—but it was still an uncomfortable process. I'd gotten better at trying to keep myself immune to the violence in my life, not less caring, but I realised that some people brought it on themselves. I couldn't deny the bloodthirsty nature of the vampires, I didn't encourage them, but I couldn't stop them from disposing of certain people in a way I made clear I wanted to know nothing about.

Coming to terms with something like that hadn't been easy, but the possibility that being lenient with one of them could be the reason for the death of someone close to me was not something I was willing to risk. I wasn't proud of my own growing ruthlessness. It showed me just how much I've changed from the person I used to be, but I didn't lose sleep over it either. There were not enough people who I cared about as it was, I wasn't about to lose one of them because I had a weak moment.

As often as we could we handed over the humans to the police. It wasn't the greatest solution, I've realised just how biased against vampires the police were, but it was something. One less death was one less worry for me.

"If I didn't know we had a meeting to get to, you would not leave this house tonight," Eric said into my neck. His hands travelled up my thighs to rest on my hips as he pressed me back into him; I could feel just how much he wanted to keep me here.

"If you keep that up we'll be late," I pointed out to him; he had almost gotten me to smear the mascara I had been putting on.

Eric kissed my shoulder and gave a theatrical sigh. "I'll be good." But he didn't move away.

I looked at him in the mirror and there was not a hint of goodness in his expression, but he kept still as I finished my make-up.

"So who are we meeting tonight?" I asked, checking my face for the last time. I didn't need to use any foundation; my skin was flawless thanks to either the vampire blood or my heritage; so my time in front of the mirror was thankfully short.

"Are you done?"

I nodded and was about to repeat my question when I found myself unable to say a thing. He'd spun me round and was kissing me before a word could leave my mouth. Eric's kisses were good, great even. I let myself relax into him, enjoying his expert skills and letting my thoughts rest for a moment as I lost myself in him.

My tongue flickered over his fangs, and the moan of appreciation I received was answer enough that he liked it. I nicked my lip on the sharp points, and Eric expertly sucked the wound, tugging a little more than necessary. The sensation of him pulling blood from the small cut send waves of pleasure to places much lower on my body making me think that maybe we'd be late after all.

The loss of contact made me whimper and I had to grab blindly at the counter behind me so as not to fall. When my vision finally cleared I saw Eric standing a few feet away from me. The look on his face…

"We need to go," he said, voice harsh with passion.

"I know," I whispered breathlessly.

Neither of us moved for a minute, both of us wanting to finish what we had started. When the phone started to ring in his pants, right next to the impressive bulge, I didn't bother trying to suppress my groan. Bad timing, darn it!

"It's me," Eric said when he answered his phone without even checking the screen. Maybe he had different ringtones? I never paid attention to that sort of thing having enough trouble actually using my own mobile without making things more complicated. Pam asked to borrow it one time, and now I did have a different tone for everyone— meaning Pam, Godric and Eric. "We are leaving now…no, we will be there in twenty…yes, I know…Pam, just take care of it." While he was talking he put his arm on my back and navigated me through the bedroom and into the closet. A coat appeared in front of me in a blink and by the time I was done putting it on my hand bag was ready. Sometimes vampire speed was a nifty thing to have.

We walked to the car in silence. Eric brooding over something, either me related, or work related; it was hard to tell with him.

"Is everything okay?" I asked him cautiously. After all there are a number of things he could have been talking to Pam about, most scenarios involved secret vampire stuff that I didn't really want anything to do with, but I felt that a good girlfriend should ask anyway.

He didn't reply at once. "There has been unusual daytime activity around the bar. Pam is worried," he told me as the car engine roared to life.

"Oh?" I said, not sure how to interpret that.

"It's nothing for you to worry about. We're looking into installing extra security measures just to be on the cautious side of things," he told me. I wondered what happened to make them this worried, neither of them worried about little things, so whatever it was must have been major.

"Did someone break in?"

Eric's hands tightened around the wheel, his knuckles protruding. I worried that with his extra strength the wheel might be in trouble. "Not yet, but someone tried."

I thought about that for a moment, wondering who would be so stupid as to try and break into a vampire bar. "When was this?"

"Two days ago," he answered.

I turned to look at him, trying to ignore the speed at which the car was moving. My hands had found their way to bottom of the chair I was sitting on a long time ago, and I tried to tell myself that my holding on had nothing to do with the fact that Eric was most definitely not following the legal speed limits in the parish or that there had been an attempt to break into my boyfriends bar just days before the attack on me.

"They didn't get in," I clarified.

"No. It would seem we were in luck. The attempt was poorly planned, and happened to be around the same time as a scheduled delivery," he said.

Eric didn't believe in luck, he believed in planning your own luck, but I didn't point any of that out just then.

"Don't you have cameras around the place, or something?" I've seen a few security screens in Pam's office.

"Yes. Though it would seem that the perpetrators lucked out so to speak, the footage was useless." Eric didn't sound happy. He was not a person who liked to be out of control.

"Maybe it was just a few college kids on a dare?" I tried to make light of the situation, not that I actually believed myself either. Eric glanced at me; I could tell I didn't succeed.

"Well, it could have been," I muttered.

"Or a test of our security." He didn't need to add the part that the security at the bar almost didn't pass the test. Or that the attack on me could be related.

We drove the rest of the way in silence; both of us had plenty to think about.

When we walked into the bar from the back entrance we were spotted straight away by the adoring fans. The atmosphere in the bar went up a notch as excitement bounced from brain to brain. I sighed, knowing that I was in for a long night. Some nights were better than others. Though usually it was horrible—you try spending a whole evening in the minds of perverts who want to fuck your boyfriend silly—but some nights were worse. Tonight it seemed that the diehard fans all came out of their holes and were ready to torture me.

I spotted Godric sitting at the usual booth. Godric hated the attention, so whenever he had to put in time at Fangtasia he ended up in the booth. Eric tried to get him on the throne, preferably half naked to show off his tattoos, but after one look from his maker, he didn't bring it up ever again. I was glad for that, I didn't want to see Godric up there, the idea was too foreign, and besides it was Eric's throne.

From the look on Godric's face he wasn't happy with either one of us right now. Not that I was surprised, really, I did leave the house when he expressly told me not to, and Eric did help me.

Eric gave me a kiss, longer than was strictly polite in company, but not so much that I was panting when he left me to go sit on his throne. I was left to make my way to Godric on my own; I had no doubt that Eric planned that. It was true he did help me, but facing down whatever Godric had in store for me was not something he deserved to weather, after all; I chose to go against his wishes. He didn't acknowledge me as I slid into the booth across from him. That stung.

"Hey," I said quietly. Godric would hear me no matter the noise that surrounded us.

He turned to look at me and I flinched, all the earlier bravado and self importance gone in the face of the hurt staring at me now.

"I'm safe," I offered. It wasn't an apology, even now I wasn't willing to apologies, but it was something.

"I can see that," he said, but remained as still as a statue. Vampires could do that; after all they didn't breathe, or fidget. After two thousand years all those human qualities had disappeared from Godric, he looked nothing like the vampire I'd come to know; he was a still, remote, a statue.

The tension between us weighed on me. I didn't really understand from where this unreasonable attitude had come from; Godric had always been more level headed than Eric, more rational when it came to me. One thing for sure, it was something to do with his past, something he wasn't opening up to me about. I wouldn't pry, he'd tell me, or not, that was his choice. Nothing I could do about reasoning things out with him right now.

I signalled to one of the waitresses. They all knew me by now; I'd interviewed all of Eric's staff, and was at the club regularly enough for them to know what I usually drank when I came in.

Ginger ale. It would be chased up with a gin and tonic later. Though I preferred staying sober during the time I worked, after a few hours the thoughts just got a little too much. They were a lot of fangbangers here, and most did not like me. That, topped off with vivid sexual images of my vampires in bed with someone else, several someones, made me want to drink myself into oblivion on a bad night. Tonight, was not at all a good night on any account.

Ignoring the sulking vampire sitting opposite me I focused on the crowd. It held no surprises tonight. Sex. Blood. Vampires in bed. All the usual stuff.

After my initial survey I let myself look at Eric. His attention was on our table, though not on me. I looked over to Godric, curious, but couldn't tell if anything at all was different about him. He looked exactly as he did last time, immovable and impassive. The bottle of blood that the waitress had brought for him with my drink was untouched. Not knowing what was going on in someone's head was a frustration I hardly ever knew before I met vampires, now I had to deal with it on daily basis; I was spoiled as a telepath.

I sighed, resigning myself to a _very_ boring evening. Even Pam had been too busy to chat, coming by only to say a brief hello. It may have had something to do with the coiling tension at our table though, Pam had never been an emotional drama fan; reading about it she enjoyed, participating in it was not her thing. Though I'd be stupid if I didn't realise that tonight would give her enough ammunition to drive me insane at some point in the near future.

"Lover, we are about to have some company," Eric said when he finally slid into the booth a while later. I wasn't sure how long, since I didn't check my phone, but I knew that I had been right, the evening so far had been uneventful. The highlight being a couple of V addicts coming in, and Pam had very quickly dealt with those.

I looked at him, hope for some sort of a diversion making me almost smile. "Oh?"

I'd learnt that sometimes it was easier to let Eric speak his mind at his own pace, or he felt like I was questioning him too much. I couldn't do too much of that in public, he had an image to uphold.

"Do you remember Alcide, from the Halloween party?" He asked me, Godric had yet to join our discussion.

"Yes," I told him. Sure, who could forget him? Tall, handsome man, too bad he turned furry once a month. That, and he had a definite prejudice against humans that associated with vampires, I had been included into that category since I hung around more than one at the same time. "Why is he coming down?"

"He will give us answers on why we were not alerted to your new friends," Godric answered for him. I looked his way, surprised that he spoke at all.

"Okay, is there something you want me too keep an eye out for?" They were obviously up to something.

"I know you can not read their minds well," Eric whispered into my ear. His breath a momentary distraction from the words, or rather question, though it didn't sound like one. I nodded. "Can you tell if they are lying?" I shook my head, though I was very good at reading people, the supernaturals are a different story. I could read them sporadically, but I didn't want the vampires basing their decision on my opinion alone. "Sookie, this is important. I need to know if I can trust the Shreveport pack."

He had moved away a little to search my face. The weight of his words showed in his features. The fact that he called me by my name told me how important this was to him; Eric hardly ever did that.

"I'll try my best," I told him, determined to help in any way I could.

We sat there in silence for a while and for a moment it was a comfortable one. Eric's hand found the small of my back and his fingers drew lazy circles sending sparks flying under my skin. Pleasurable sparks, and so I enjoyed the sensation, the distraction from the monotony of human minds in the club and from the uncomfortable feeling of guilt for making Godric so miserable.

Godric went back to ignoring us, though he did shift closer to me and further inside the booth. It was a great defensive position; I was for all intents and purposes stuck right in the middle of them. With his speed and strength the more inconvenient position of being furthest away didn't matter, I'd seen Godric fight the other night. He was faster than anything I'd ever seen.

The distance between us chafed. We were so close in that booth, but he wasn't with me in the same way he'd always been. Both of us were stubborn, I hated the fact that my stubbornness caused such a huge rift, yet I didn't know what to say to him to make things better.

Eric's fingers stopped their movements and his hand shifted away from me, it was a signal that we were about to have company. Scanning the club I quickly located the Were. He looked as good as I remembered. Tall, with dark shaggy hair that he probably tried to tame, but didn't really manage it. Dressed in clothes that were meant for comfort and work rather than a club, specially one like Fangtasia. My nervous smile contorted my lips while I watched Alcide Herveaux make his way towards our table.

What I had told Eric earlier was true, I couldn't read Were minds, I could feel their moods well enough though, specially if the feeling was directed my way. His opinion of me hadn't improved since the last time we met at the Halloween party, and since my own reading skills have, I cringed at the loathing and disgust he felt. Why was he even here?

"Eric," Alcide said greeting the sheriff with a small nod of his head. No matter how much he loathed vampires, he still knew to acknowledge those more powerful than him; Eric was sheriff in this area. Alcide's eyes slid over me like I wasn't even there coming to rest on Godric, both nodded silently.

"Sit down, Herveaux." The sheriff was in the house, nothing of the Eric I knew in private was present. I'd long known that my glimpses of the private Eric were a privilege, but it hit me every time I'd see him at work anyway.

Alcide slid into the booth opposite us, careful to keep as much distance as was possible from the vampires.

"What can I do for you tonight?" He asked, twisting his words to make the sarcasm more evident.

I seethed in silence at being totally ignored, focusing harder on his thoughts. Skin to skin contact would have been ideal, though I doubt Alcide would ever give a chance like that.

"What do you know about the attack on Sookie?" Godric asked, his voice stayed quiet, the conversation would not be private. It was not meant to be, I realised that the other vampires from area five all knew about the attack. Godric's hand found my thigh, squeezing it gently as my heart rate increased with my rising panic. Things could go very wrong tonight, and I was stuck right in the middle of them.

Apparently, I was alone in my fretting; Alcide looked cool as a cucumber. "I heard about what happened the next day. We were unaware of the Weres coming into our woods."

"Then I assume that your packmaster is becoming incompetent," Eric stated.

The growl ripping out of Alcide's throat matched the shift in his eyes; the wolf was so close to the surface he just might join the party.

"Our packmaster is more than competent, we do not run around patrolling the woods just so _your pet_ can drive around them whenever her heart desires." The words were growled; his tone had shifted from bordering polite to something animalistic.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the hand on my thigh squeezed harder making me squeak in pain and I turned to glare at Godric, not impressed with his tactics. He didn't seem to notice my irritation.

"Alcide, things have been working well in the last few months. The cooperation between the pack and the local vampires has been greatly valued by us, but you can understand that such a sizable number of outsiders would raise questions as to the competency of our allies," Godric said. I hated him for sounding so smooth and casual right then.

Eric could do that too, though not all the time. Pam had said more than once that he'd make a great king if he could just learn to control his temper. I tended to agree, though picturing Eric as king of the vampires in Louisiana scared me silly. For one, he'd have to spend a significant amount of time in New Orleans, and would he still want me around? I was just dealing with moving to Shreveport, and it was less than an hour away from Bon Temps. New Orleans, being in the spotlight for the human media, and stuck even further in vampire politics would kill me one way or another.

Though Alcide still didn't look happy, I felt a slight bit of admiration coming from him towards Godric.

Godric had been the one to negotiate the new alliance and it had been profitable to both parties involved. The Weres got great jobs guarding vampire businesses during the day, though apparently not Fangtasia— I'd have to ask about that. They were faster and stronger than humans, not to mention had more of an incentive to protect our secrets since they had a whopper of one of their own. The world still believed that werewolves and other monsters were only part of fairytales. I had been under the same assumption when the year began. Boy, did I know better now!

Of course, I was now one of them as well, no matter how much I wanted to hide behind my humanity, what little of it there seemed to be; I wasn't all that human anymore.

Colonel Flood had been made aware of my heritage since it was members of his pack that guarded me during the day. My guards knew as well, Lexie had talked to them a bit. My powers hadn't surfaced and they could; apparently I was a walking bomb. I tried really hard not to think about that too often.

"We're looking into it, but so far there's been nothing. From what you've told me they could be identified with a number of packs. Jackson's pack is all muscle, they're tough enough, and some will do jobs like these for money," he paused, glancing my way with a mixture of contempt and curiosity. I was sure he'd been thinking what was so special about this particular vampire pet; I doubted he believed the rumours of my telepathy. Most didn't until I proved them wrong. "There are other packs in Mississippi that could fit your description, but that could be said about the packs in almost any other state. I mean Arkansas has a gang, it's small, but the fuckers are vicious."

"So you are telling me there is no way to identify which pack they had come from?" Eric confirmed.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. If one was alive, maybe, but now…" He shrugged his broad shoulders as his voice trailed off not needing to finish the sentence. None of the Weres from that attack lived to see the next sunrise; I can't say I wasn't grateful to know that for a fact.

"What about the tattoo? Surely that would be a way to track them down?" I asked. All three of them looked at me with different expressions. Alcide wasn't happy I'd brought it up; I knew he was not telling us the whole truth on the subject. Godric's mask cracked for the first time all evening and I thought his expression warmed up a little. Eric was thoughtful, his body tensing next to me. I remembered his strong reaction the first time the marking were mentioned and wondered what he knew about them. With all of my own drama I hadn't had a chance to question him about it. Maybe later. Or tomorrow.

I shifted, uncomfortable with all the attention. "Well, they all had one, right? I mean do all packs have their own markings? And if they do, then couldn't we track them that way?" I asked Alcide.

He looked like he wasn't going to answer there for a moment; essentially I just caught him bluffing, but he nodded in the end. "Yes, we all do. Though I am surprised you had noticed those. It is a pack business, and outsiders are never told about them. What did it look like?"

"It was a cross, looked like the Nazi symbol," I explained.

"Swastika," Eric stated tightly.

Alcide frowned. "The Jackson pack's one looks very similar to that," He said though more to himself.

"Who is the vampire in charge of Jackson?" I asked Eric.

"Russel Edgington," was the name he supplied me with, but little else. Eric had shut down in something similar to Godric's earlier mood.

Vampires may not need to breathe, or eat food, or get sick, but they sure managed to have PMS often enough.

"Well, if that's the case I might be able to find out more when I go there next week," Alcide told us. From what I could pick up he genuinely wanted to help, as much as he could without giving away too many pack secrets. But I honestly didn't think that tattoo was much of a secret, I mean if it was won't they have put it somewhere; well, less obvious for starters? That got me wondering where Alcide's may be and what it looked like. I nixed that train of thought straight away. I had enough testosterone to deal with in my life.

"That would be appreciated. If you find out anything else, you have our contact details," Godric said. It was a dismissal.

It wasn't long after our meeting was done that the bar closed for the night. Godric and I stayed back to let Eric finish some paperwork, since his mood had improved from earlier we chatted to pass the time. I was sure glad to have my Godric back. I did tell him about my day, and he only grumbled a little bit that I left the house. When I mentioned that Eric had known he sighed with exasperation, but let it go.

The news I'd finally quit my waitressing job made him break out in the first genuine smile all night. And I stifled my own exasperation at his obvious happiness over the news.

"Are you ready to go home?" Eric asked as he came out of his office.

"Sure am," I told him with genuine smile. It had been a long day, and I was more than ready to go home. Our home.

We waved our goodbyes to Pam and headed off.

Eric's hand caressing my thigh as he drove us back home made sure that the pent up frustrations from our unfinished encounter earlier had me almost jumping him before he even pulled into the driveway. Godric watched us with an indulgent look on his face, aware of the coiling tension in me, and probably just as susceptible to the feelings in Eric.

I had learnt that though they had a bond, Godric felt Eric much clearer than the other way around. Since he also had a connection to me, I sometimes wondered what he went through every time Eric went barbarian on me and pulled me into his office. Then again Godric _really_ enjoyed voyeurism; I'd caught him watching us more than once. The things he'd do to me during our next encounter…

The car stopped and Eric's hand became more insistent on my thigh, snapping me out of my pleasant thoughts and to an even more pleasant reality.

"Lover? You seemed very far away just then," Eric queried, he sounded slightly put out.

I gave what I'd hoped was a saucy look. "Not so far, I was remembering you, me, naked…"

I trailed off with a meaningful look towards the already large bulge in his pants. With a growl he proved just how much of a Viking he was, I was tossed over one shoulder and delivered inside the house with record speed.

"Tell me more," he ordered when my feet touched the floor in our wardrobe. He'd managed to get us downstairs in a blink.

I looked up; my eyes felt heavy, lust riding me. My hands found the soft material of his t-shirt and I pulled it up, letting my fingers trail over the muscled flesh they uncovered.

"Well, I had remembered when we were at the bar last week," I started saying, but was distracted by the white flesh uncovered in front of me. I kissed his chest, enjoying the coolness of his soft skin, the hard muscles that moved in response to my movements and the rumble that was slowly getting louder in his chest. The power I had over him was overwhelming, intoxicating, and delicious; I loved that.

Eric slid my coat off my shoulders; it fell in a puddle on the floor, his fingers traced over the exposed skin of my arms leaving a trail of shivering flesh behind. We weren't moving anywhere else. I couldn't move. I held my breath to see what he would do next, entranced by the gentle touch, savouring the building tension, and unable to break eye contact. He held me in a cage of lust and fire with nothing but his fingertips and eyes.

My hands had stilled on his chest, the t-shirt momentarily forgotten there. There was no heartbeat under my fingertips, but then I expected none.

"Lover," he whispered softly, so softly that I almost didn't hear the word.

It was like my body had waited for his verbal permission to come back to life. My chest constricted and the breath I'd been holding on to left in a shuddering gasp. It was the loudest noise in the room, save my racing heart.

The moment of tension was broken, and Eric's head descended towards mine, lips meeting lips in an explosive moment of pleasure. Then there was no more room for hesitation, no more thinking. I couldn't think.

My zipper came undone, his finger trailing over the exposed flesh. Exploring the curve of my back as it became available to him. Our kiss continued, urgent, almost needy.

We came apart enough to get his t-shirt off of him, and let my dress slip down to the floor. My fingers fumbled at his jeans in clumsy movements, trying unsuccessfully get the buttons to open.

Frustrating mumbles bubbled out of me as I groped at the buttons with little results. A larger pair of hands covered my own, gently pushing my fingers out of the way. We never broke our kiss as he shucked his jeans off and then guided me into the bedroom.

I fell on the bed first expecting a hard heavy weight to follow on top of me, but he never did. Eric stood there, between my legs, taking in the view. I was in nothing but my underwear and hose. Granted those were black and lacy, and the hose were thigh highs and had lace on the top part as well, so I was pretty sure I looked great against the red silky sheets.

I didn't mind, enjoying a view of my own. The light had just come on in the wardrobe and the soft warm glow silhouetted Eric's body creating a soft halo around his head. He looked more like a sexy angel than the devil spawn that ridiculous Church insists vampires are.

"Delicious," he said hoarsely folding his huge body to crouch between my legs. Strong hands slid up my inner thighs spreading them out. I licked my lips in anticipation, shivers raced down my back covering my skin in goose bumps. I wasn't cold, though his hands certainly were; I was burning with desire for him.

A moan escaped me as I felt him nuzzling my thigh. So close. I needed…

His hands slid under me and pulled the lacy underwear off of me just enough so when he ripped it, the material disappeared as though it was never there.

The whole time I watched; Eric between my legs, and Godric leaning against the wall next to the door into our bedroom.

Whatever earlier troubles we had between us, the words that had been left unsaid, tension from my leaving the house alone, their worry, my stubbornness; it was all gone. Right now, here, it was just us, together.

My head fell back then, my body rising off the bed as Eric found his way to parts of me that had cried out for him all night. Sweet Jesus! So good…

We'd been so worked up from earlier, the flirting when I was getting ready, at the bar, and then the car ride back that it didn't take him long to have me screaming, thrashing and shuddering under his ministrations. It never really did. Eric had plenty of experience in this area; he was a fantastic lover.

While I was recovering, my body pleasantly languid, still pulsing with pleasure I watched them both get undressed, amazed all over again that they with me, mine as much as I was theirs. It probably would have been more fair if I could help, since I really enjoyed helping, but I couldn't move save for the occasional shuddering aftershock. My chest squeezed painfully at the thought that maybe one day they wouldn't be with me, but I let that thought go for now, not wanting to ruin the moment. Right now there should be no thoughts of the future, just the now. And I was very happy right now.

Godric's eyes held warmth, life and something deeper, more profound. My heart fluttered in my chest, the fast rhythm faltering.

Then there was little time to think about anything really.


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey there! I thought I'd do a monday update to start off everyone's week with some Eric, Godric and Sookie goodness. Hold on tight guys, because the adventure is just getting started and things are heating up._

_Huge big thank you to MellyKen, she rocks my world with her beta skills. :) xxx_

_Disclaimer: I don't own TB and SVM, just playing._

* * *

"Sookie, you can do better than this." Lexie taunted me as she circled around the clearing.

We'd had most of our lessons outside; rain, hail, or shine. Lexie was under the impression that it would be beneficial for me to learn how to fight in all weather conditions, I preferred getting down and dirty in the comfort of a gym. We did that too, often enough, but outside lessons took priority. That was why my boots were making a sloshing sound as I slid my way through the mud keeping a close eye on my aunt.

My training gear (grey tracks and hoodie) should have kept me warmer than I needed to be, unfortunately that wasn't the case. They lost any resemblance to the bright and cheery red they'd been not a full half hour ago and were now an indistinguishable brown. If I had to become part of the landscape in a hurry, only the creatures that could smell me would recognise where I was, no human would be able to detect me.

Though even that, I had been working on, Lexie was teaching me how to mask my scent. That was progressing with dubious success; the times I'd succeeded had been rare, the power was so sporadic that I wouldn't be able to rely on it for sometime yet. In an emergency— life or death kind— I'd be dead before I got the chance to realise it wasn't working.

"I'm wet, cold, and covered in mud. I'm not one to complain, but why are we doing this outside today of all days?" I asked, scrambling when I had to suddenly defend myself.

She'd attacked me again. Her sword, Lilliane, singing through the air with deadly precision, I barely managed to block the blow with my daggers. She did have the advantage of a longer reach using a sword, but I could always throw the daggers in a real battle— that's not to say that I haven't thought about it in practise, my aunt could be _that_ irritating.

It was all a matter of perspective really.

Lexie did say that if I needed to fight it would mean that whoever was after me was strong enough to get through my guards.

What were the chances of me beating someone who'd be able to out-master Eric in battle?

"Pam won't take it easy on you," she said her lips twisting a little.

Did she think it would be amusing, or was she just plain happy at the idea of Pam teaching me? Pam was a loose cannon. In the past few months we've become closer, and if anyone was my friend these days it would have to be Pam. Yet, even saying that I never know where I really stood with her.

She was a vampire.

I was not.

Pam definitely had her priorities straight.

"Tell me something I don't know!" Pam nearly killed me the other night, and I had a couple of months of more near death experiences to look forward to. They would always be _near_ death, Pam valued her own undead life too much to actually cause me any serious injury.

I dodged left, and had to roll out of the way as Lilliane glided smoothly through the space I had occupied. "Lexie!"

"You're slow," she said without a hint of remorse as she watched me try and shake some mud of my pants without much success.

"I am not. You're showing off," I grumbled, feeling the extra moisture from the mud saturate my already wet pants. Fuck. My muscles protested as I moved my feet, and blocked yet another strike. She was relentless. "You know, most aunts I know help their nieces and nephews with homework, or give them occasional gifts, and sit gossiping about boys, not try and slash them with a sword."

"I do that too," she said with a pout. She'd been so excited when she "found me", so eager to get to know me. It was nice. We have spent a lot of time together, well, as much as she could spend with all the duties she had at court.

"I know, but this is not what I had in mind as bonding time," I huffed.

She grinned in response. "But isn't it fun?"

My grimace answered her question without any words, but I added them just so she'd understand how much I was enjoying myself. "Oh, yes, loads."

The sarcasm went unnoticed as she made another dodge and attack. "Watch your form."

"I am!" I shouted back, but adjusted my arms anyway. I was getting tired. We'd been at this for a couple of hours now.

My back muscles have already gone from pleasantly tense to screaming sore, and I had no idea how I was still moving my arms. They'd been numb for a while. The fact that they stopped hurting was a little alarming, but then with the rest of my body screaming out for me to stop it was a nice change I wasn't about to complain about. I'm sure I'd be complaining enough later.

Then she blurred, and I was staring into her emerald eyes as the cool lethal edge of Lilliane caressed my throat. Fuck!

"You are distracted," she said staring me down.

I stared back, defiant, not willing to back down for a moment. My eyes slid down and back to hers watching as the black eclipsed the pure green with her surprise.

I felt the delicate skin under the tip of my dagger as it pressed at a perfect angle to slide smoothly between her ribs, exactly the angle needed for me to get to her heart. She wouldn't die; it would hurt her like a son of a bitch though.

"Touché," she conceded.

Her wink made my heart flutter; I'd managed to make it a stalemate. We both stepped away at the same time and in silent accord headed back to the house.

Lexie stood in the kitchen drinking water when I emerged from my shower. She was already clean. I had no idea how she managed that, since I was pretty sure she didn't have a shower here. Her black hair tied in a bun at the back, her green eyes almost glowing.

Like Phedre, Lexie's eyes changed colour, though mostly they just glowed when she was upset, happy, or excited about something. The jeans and t-shirt she was wearing earlier miraculously clean; I scowled at her for no reason other than her managing to clean up so quickly.

Well, there were other reasons too.

"What's bothering you, Sookie?" she asked. The question wasn't unexpected, though I'd have wanted to be a little more prepared. Still, I knew she wouldn't miss the opportunity to ask, she wasn't one for brooding on unspoken tension.

I made my way towards the kettle turning it on with my free hand, the other still busy towel drying my hair. "I spoke to Phedre yesterday," I said meaningfully staring at her.

"Ah," she said in answer and looked at me, assessing, but didn't say anything else.

"That's all you've got to say?" I asked sarcastically.

From the expression on her face I gathered she did not understand my reaction. "Should there be more? I'm not going to feel guilty for trying to make sure you're safe. Now come, I haven't got a lot of time left and I wanted to meditate with you again before I leave." Lexie moved towards the living area.

From the first day she had started the training we meditated after every session. No matter how tired, or beaten up I had been, we always did at least one hour. She said it was to help me focus and find inner peace. I didn't agree with her at first, but through time, and practice I have been starting to understand.

Right now, I was in no mood to meditate.

I watched as she moved over the two chairs and the chess table to make space in the most airy part of the house. The windows surrounded the area on three sides making it well lit and peaceful. "Are you serious?" I spluttered.

She nodded. "You are my only living relative save my fae family, who frankly would have me dead rather than alive. I'm not going to be apologetic because you feel I should be. I want to make sure you are alive and well when I get back in a few months."

"Lexie, that's…" I trailed off unsure how I felt about this.

"Caring," she finished for me. "I care. Godric cares. He loves you, you know. Even if he hasn't said it out loud, I can see it in everything he does. Eric too, though it's more subtle with him." She mused. "You will just have to learn to accept the fact that you are stuck with very overbearing, overprotective supernaturals and learn to deal."

I grimaced at her. "You make it sound like it's easy," I said not wanting to acknowledge the rest of her statement, though I suspected it was the truth. Lexie had an uncanny ability to read people. They didn't do this to make me feel trapped; they did it because they all wanted to see me safe. It chafed though, regardless of the sentiments; the constant surveillance. It didn't escape me that while I was being babysat they weren't.

She gave me a knowing look. "I didn't say it is, but I know you love them as well, and I hope you care for me, so I'm sure you'll learn how."

I floundered, my heart skipping a beat, I'd barely thought on the subject. I wasn't about to think on it now nor would I admit to anything in front of my very noisy aunt, focusing on the issue instead. "I'm not going to take it lying down, you know that right?"

She laughed making me relax into a smile of my own. "I sure hope not, you are related to me after all." Though the knowing look on her face told me she'd noticed my careful avoidance of the other subject, I was glad she didn't comment.

And just like that, we were okay again.

The rest of our time together was spent talking about normal stuff, stuff that you'd share with someone you're close too. I told her that I quit working at Merlotte's, she hadn't been that surprised about the news nor totally unhappy. That made me wonder if any of the people close to me actually thought my job there was not a total waste of my time. I tried getting her to tell me who Godric was looking to get to babysit me, but she clammed up. I let it go confident that I'd get my answers after the sun set and not wanting to spoil what little time I had left to spend with my aunt.

She left before the vampires rose citing that there was somewhere she needed to get to. I wondered what it would be like to have her over for Christmas. It wasn't a holiday she celebrated, Underworld didn't strike me as a Christian type place, and Hades, well, I wasn't sure what he was, but I bet that he didn't really believe in Santa. My holiday cheer would have to be enough for everyone.

Jason might come over, though I wasn't putting all my eggs in his basket. He'd have come if Gran was still around, now, I wasn't sure. After the town went back to normal when the maenad problem was resolved, Jason went back to normal too, the normal selfish brother who barely remembered about his sister. We didn't speak much. He was busy chasing after women, and I was busy in Shreveport. Working less and less at Merlotte's didn't give me many chances to bump into him, and now I doubted I'd see him more than a few times every few months, if at all.

I wondered what Christmas would be like for me this year as I slid into the bed between my sleeping vamps. They weren't really sleeping, but calling what they did during the day dying just made me feel uncomfortable when I was so comfortable sleeping next to them.

Finally enough I fell asleep as I tried to picture Christmas dinner, and the image of Eric wearing a Christmas hat…and nothing else.

I woke up from the feel of hands running up and down my thigh in soothing patterns. Strong hands. Familiar ones. I smiled though my eyes stayed closed, enjoying the feeling of comfort and total safety as both of the men I loved surrounded me.

"She is awake." A soft voice whispered, Godric.

The movement of those hands turned sensual, and they started to travel up, and down, to areas that were not meant to be touched if one wanted to relax.

"Good evening, lover," Eric said near my ear. A purr, and I shivered in pleasure that his hands and voice brought me.

His cool hand -I knew it was his because it was the bigger of the two – found my left breast, fingers circling, massaging. A playful tug drew a moan from me, making me wriggle slightly, giving the other hand, the one that had been moving up my inner thigh room to reach its goal.

"You smell delicious," Godric said as he nuzzled my stomach.

My fingers laced through his hair and I pulled on it slightly harder than I'd wanted when his finger entered me, the intrusion a nice shock, pleasant, startling.

"How was your day?" Eric asked me, his mouth trailed over the pulse on my neck, fangs grazing skin, cool air as he breather the words made me shiver in pleasure and anticipation.

"Fine." I breathed the word, unable to focus on formulating a more complete response than that. My focus had narrowed to hands, mouths, skin, and the sensations that all of those things put together ignited in me.

They both chuckled, damn them, knowing what they were doing was distracting me enough to make me unable to respond to their questioning.

I pulled again at Godric's hair, this time he came up to my face with it, and my mouth found his, the kiss leaving me breathless as well as wounded. One of his fangs had grazed my lips enough to pierce the skin; I tasted blood. His attention focused on my lips, now noticeable wetter as my blood spread across them. He licked his own in obvious anticipation, and yet, his fingers never stopped once as they build up a steady rhythm closing the distance to a certain cliff, I felt myself skyrocket towards it with break-a-neck speed.

"Don't hold back, lover." Eric whispered seductively near my ear before his mouth was on my artery, fangs piercing my skin, and as I felt the first bit of blood leaving my body into his mouth I came apart screaming in Godric's mouth. The waves of pleasure rolled me over, and under, in a blissful state of chaos as I felt myself clench around Godric's fingers.

It took me a little while to come back to earth, and I did open my eyes, heavy lidded though they were. The two sets of eyes staring at me had identical proud sparkles in them, I smiled a lazy smile at them.

"Hi," I said, that one word managing to come out husky, sexy and seductive, a tall order for such a tiny thing.

"Have you come back to us, ma petite?" Godric asked me, his mouth turning up in the corners as he did so. Without waiting for an answer he looked at Eric and said, "I don't think we've been thorough enough if she can still speak."

I swear the smile Eric had on his face as he looked between us was predatory.

"No, I think we definitely haven't been thorough enough with her tonight." He said as he dipped in to kiss my lips.

I wasn't about to complain. Nope. Not me.

It would have been wonderful to say that they lived up to their talk, and I'm pretty sure that given the opportunity they might have outdone my feeble attempts at imagining what they were about to do, but they didn't.

The moment I moved to get on top of Eric's chest, so I could lick and nibble my way to other, very ready parts of him, my body let me know that it was in now way going to cooperate.

My left leg spasmed so hard I actually whined, or maybe even yelled, as I collapsed somewhere between the mattress and Eric, my head landing awkwardly on his stomach as I rolled into a ball. It was one of those very painful muscles cramps that left you completely immobilised and ready to die because you couldn't do much else.

"Sookie, what's wrong?" Godric asked me his voice full of panic, and concern. That he actually used my name, as opposed to the nickname showed the just how worried he was.

I couldn't even explain my chest too tight, all my attention on the pain. I whimpered something that sounded like "leg cramp", but came out between a moan and a scream.

Eric's arms went around me as he cradled me gently while Godric checked out the leg in question. He massaged and pulled on my calf muscle, moving my foot around, which helped, but in the making the pain worse before it gets better kind of way.

Several long and excruciatingly painful minutes later I was able to breathe easier as my body relaxed into a blissful, pain-free existence.

"That was bad." I whispered when my breathing returned to normal.

I didn't get an answer from anyone so I peeked over to see why. Sure enough both of them looked whiter than I'd ever seen them.

"I'm fine now. Really." I added for good measure, neither of them looked convinced.

"What happened?" Eric asked, the pragmatic side of him finally snapping him into trying to find the answer.

I grimaced. "Lexie came over for one last session earlier today; she said she didn't want Pam think she was going easy on me, so she pushed me harder than usual. It's why I came down for a nap."

The twin looks of outrage almost made me smile if I hadn't know for a fact that both of them were picturing what they'd do to my aunt should they manage to get their hands on her anytime soon. It wouldn't be pretty, and I was pretty sure it was going to be painful for her. I thanked God she wasn't going to be around for a few months, it'd give them a chance to cool off a bit before they saw her again.

"When is she coming back?" Godric asked in a deceptively uninterested and even mild tone.

I knew better, giving him a level look before replying. "In a couple of months, I think. End of January, or maybe February."

He growled. He actually growled!

"Godric, it's not that bad, it happens if a human trains too hard. Besides, I'm better now. See." I pointedly wiggled my toes for him, and moved my leg. Okay, it wasn't all better, I could still feel the lingering after shocks of pain, but it would go away soon.

"Will a bath help?" Eric asked me. He had been quiet. Too quiet.

Turning my head to look at Eric, seeing the worry in his face I tried to smile. "It would do wonders."

Before I knew it, I was on the edge of the bath tub with my legs hanging inside, some special muscle-loosening salt stuff being thrown into it; and hot, I mean almost boiling water poured in. I yelped when the water hit my feet, moving them out of the way before I got burned. Then they scrambled to make sure it was the perfect temperature.

Godric even snapped at Eric for making the water too hot.

Eric, surprise of surprises, just took the reprimand silently while adjusting the taps, making sure to check it was just right with his hand this time.

I watched the show with stunned amusement.

Two ancient vampires flustered over a barmaid's (ex-barmaid's) leg cramp; priceless.

When I had finally been allowed to settle into the bath, it was bliss.

Lexie had pushed me to my limits, and though I've improved a great deal, today's session had been gruesome by anyone's standards. Her reasons were simple enough, if I was to be trained by Pam for the next several months I was going into Pam's hands at my best, sore and spasming muscles were my best apparently.

I looked up at the vampires after taking in a few long breaths as the waters soothed my muscles. "Aren't you coming in?"

"You're too tempting by half," Godric admitted, his mouth held a hint of a smile as he watched me. "I doubt neither one of us could resist."

I tried not to pout, I had wanted more, still wanted more of them. "I'm not made of glass you know!"

"We are very well aware of that, lover. You are delectable, strong and wilful. But also still very fragile," Eric said to me while staring at me with a hungry expression.

"Well, if I'm so delectable, and irresistible, why are you there, and not in here with me?" I pouted.

"We are making sure you will be ready for us later. We have all night, ma petite, it will be better if you are not hurting," Godric answered. "Perhaps you should have some of my blood?"

I hadn't drank their blood since Dallas, I wasn't sure how long the effects of vampire blood lasted, but I was still stronger than before, could hear better, and see well at night. We haven't even discussed it really, so Godric's offer caught me off guard. Of course all the things I mentioned could be the after affects of whatever it was that Lexie had done to me to release my magic, or whatever when she found out who I was. We're still unsure of all that.

"Do you think I need it?" I asked tentatively. The idea wasn't completely repulsive since they drank a little bit of my blood nightly. I used to worry about that, but Lexie told me it shouldn't be a problem with all the supernatural in me. She was right it seemed. I went to see the doctor a month ago and all was well. When Bill drank from me it left me weaker, but he used to drink more blood, even with both of them feeding from me I was still full of energy.

"Yes," echoed from the room as both of them replied at once.

"But –" I started.

"There are no buts in this, lover, apart from me enjoying yours later. It would be a good idea for you to have some of our blood for practical reasons apart from you healing faster, the link between us all will be stronger, we will feel you from greater distances, and you may even feel us to some extent." Eric looked serious.

I squinted at him. "You're just wanting me high on your blood so I get all horny."

This was a completely ridiculous conversation to have while all three of us were naked, in the bathroom, naked. Did I mention they were naked?

Eric smirked at me.

"Ma petite, although that is a benefit, in this case we are truly thinking of your well being," Godric explained, he had come to crouch next to the tub.

I looked between them for a bit, it was a hard decision. They never brought it up before. Sure we did exchange blood in Dallas, but that had been an emergency. Everyone knew now that I was theirs in the vampire community. It chafed, the label, but it was for my own protection. I wasn't about to risk my life over something as stupid as the way people perceived our relationship. This was different.

"Yesterday, the attack, it made us considers the benefits of the extra exchange. We would feel much better if we knew exactly where you were over longer distances," Godric said his voice solemn. "I would prefer to have a closer bond, but it would take more time, and further exchanges."

This was getting too serious too fast.

"Hold up. First you want to put a guard on me, and now you're saying you want to monitor my every move by getting me to drink lots of your blood? Godric, you realise that's a tad overprotective even for you. I mean I get that you guys worry, but seriously, I can look after myself. I'm not some weak female who'll break from a few bruises, not that I'm looking for anyone to hurt me." I re-thought the last part. "Well, with the exception of Lexie, and now Pam. I'm not sure the other night justifies all this." I finished waving my hands in their direction and splashing water all over Godric in the process.

He didn't seem to notice that he was now wet as he stared at me intently. Sometimes I hated when he did that. It was just plain spooky, he'd stare and not move, or blink. That sort of intensity, directed towards you, could be very unnerving.

Try that doubled; Eric was doing the same thing.

I looked away first. I usually did, though I'd try to outstare them, but it was hard to outmatch their centuries of practise. "Fine. I'll drink you're blood, but we've something to discuss first. I want to know exactly who, no, what it is that you've been trying to hire to be my bodyguard," I told them pointedly.

That got a reaction. I guess they didn't expect me to question anything.

"What do you know about it?" Godric asked me.

"I know that you've been looking for someone stronger than my normal guards. I know I'm probably not going to like it, and I know you've been real worried about me. It's sweet, but I do think you are over-reacting. Both of you." I added the last part so as not to make all of it sound so accusatory (word of the day from last Thursday).

Eric came up to stand next to Godric, getting the attention of the other vampire by putting a hand on his shoulder. They did their silent communicating thing. I'd learnt a while back that it wasn't really that, with the major upgrading of my senses I realised that they weren't silently communicating, just speaking fast and low. It was still too fast for me to understand, even if it wasn't for the simple fact that I've yet to learn any of the language that they usually spoke in. Eric told me it was Old Norse, or some such, it sounded beautiful when they talked. It sounded like a cow dying when I tried to say something. I'll stick to English for now thank you very much.

"We have been discussing the possibilities." Eric answered for both of them.

"And…" I let it hang there.

"We have not agreed."

"Okay," I said slowly. These two not agreeing wasn't something out of the ordinary, for a maker and child they did have a very strange relationship, at least from what I've seen of vampires so far. Pam and Eric had a very one sided power thing, he was always the dominating of the two, Godric not so much. I'd often wondered if it had to do with their age, after all, Pam in comparison was a baby. But if Pam was a baby, what did that make me? See, headache argument right there! "And what have you though of so far? Do I get a say in any of this protection business? You know I kind of like the guys that you hired."

The two Weres that looked after me during my day errands were nice. We'd become friends, once they realised I wasn't just another piece of ass that was running after the undead that is.

"They cannot protect you from certain things," Godric said slowly, obviously trying to pick out his words carefully. I shivered despite the water being hot. What could possibly be after me that those two couldn't handle? Jeremy and Kyle were huge, and more than competent in my own humble opinion. They were walls of muscle. I wasn't a small girl, and they made me feel feminine, and utterly tiny.

I exhaled, the remnants of our earlier sexual encounter slipping out of me, I didn't try to hold onto them. Shifting a little to make room in the bath I said, "Get in guys. It's warmer, and it looks like we need to talk." When both of them hesitated again I added with a smirk to rival one of Eric's, "I'll make sure to behave."

That got a laugh out of them, but they both complied, finally slipping into the bath without any fanfare. We took a few moments to get comfortable, my legs ended up in Godric's lap, and his and Eric's were intertwined, but in the end I could see both of their faces without having to do much head turning, this was a good thing. It was a sign that they wanted to talk first. I waited for them to start.

"How are you feeling?" Godric asked massaging my leg.

"Better," I told him. "Start talking."

He sighed exaggerating the movement. Vampires didn't need to breathe, so this was something he didn't need to do.

"What do you want to know?"

"How about we start at the beginning? What is this super bodyguard that you want for me that Eric doesn't and why is it a better choice than the Weres currently protecting me?" I asked.

He looked away, staring at the walls.

"I wanted to see if we can get you an ava'h, similar to Zionos, but it would seem that is harder to accomplish than I originally thought."

I frowned. "Don't I need to have at least some magic for that to happen?" I had no idea how one would get an ava'h, from what I understood they were a magical tattoo that literally lived under the skin.

Eric shook his head. "You just need to have the requisite bloodline, which you do." He gave Godric a meaningful look. "The same reason why I would rather you didn't."

That was confusing as hell.

Godric looked back at me, his expression solemn. "The only way for you to have one would ensure that Persephone will become aware of your existence, something that may put you into more danger."

"So, problem solved. I don't get one." I almost sang the words I felt that much satisfaction over the issue. Lexie had explained her connection with Zionos to me. I wasn't sure how I felt about being that connected to someone, he knew her thoughts, her feelings, everything.

"An ava'h would be able to protect you better than anything, anyone else; I do believe that outweighs the risks," Godric insisted his jaw clenching.

"Not if the same thing will increase the danger, surely."

Eric sighed. "There are other options."

"No. They aren't adequate, and well you know it." Godric glared at him.

"She's learning how to defend herself."

"She's still too fragile."

"Enough!" I held up my hands to stop the bickering. "_She_ is still here, and I believe we are discussing options not arguing over _her_ head." I glared at them both to reinforce my point. "What other options are available, because, frankly, I'm not sure how I feel about having a copy of Zi living on me." I shuddered at the thought. He's cute, in a lethal sort of way, but cuter when I didn't have to imagine him slithering under my skin.

"It really isn't that bad. You've seen Lexie, she doesn't mind it in the least," Godric persisted.

"She's had him since birth," I pointed out to him.

"There are the Fae or Britlingans," Eric mused out loud. I stared at him like he was speaking a foreign language. The what? Yeah, I knew about the fae, Lexie filled me in on that, but what the heck were these Britlingans?

"Out of the question. Fae are not to be trusted. The other option is risky as well."

"It could be a short term solution." Eric suggested.

"Hang on. Britlingans? What am I missing?"

Eric filled me in. "They are from another dimension, very good guards."

Well, hit me with a frying pan.

"Another dimension?" I squeaked.

"Did you honestly believe there weren't more? You realise you are descended from beings from another plane of existence." He smirked at me. Huh. I never thought of it that way.

"How many?" I asked, my curiosity worming out of me before I could control myself. I must have sounded more excited by the possibilities than I'd thought because even Godric's lips twitched a little, the tension draining out of him.

"Many," Eric told me with a wiggle of his eyebrows. "Though my list is longer."

His hands found their way onto my thighs and I guessed correctly that serious talk was over for now. I still didn't have any answers, but I knew while they weren't agreeing I'd have none. So that could definitely wait. The gleam in Eric's eyes told him he most certainly wasn't going to.

Shifting a little I sat up, moving my leg under me so I had better leverage. The upper half of my body came out of the water and under close scrutiny.

Heat spread through me, wave after relentless wave, as their eyes slid down my body following the water drops. A blazing trail of fire instead of the water slithered down my skin.

Eric's hand clenched in subconscious movements as his eyes took in my breasts. I had no difficulty imagining them on me, my body quaked, desire running rampant through me.

I moved to him, leaning closer while resting a hand on each side of his face. The only noise was water trickling over the edge of the tub as I breathed in his masculine, dry scent. It sand to my senses.

"I think I'm feeling better now," I whispered into his mouth before capturing his lower lip between my teeth. His fangs extended so suddenly that they scraped my skin, making me yelp a little from the unexpected pain.

I'd pictured something smoother when I thought about seducing them, but when I moved back a hand on my back stopped me.

"Let me," Eric suggested as he focused on my bloody lips.

Well, even unintentionally I managed to turn him on even more, if the dazed look on his face was any indication. I moved back, and his tongue darted out to lick my lips, cleaning the blood off slowly, then kissing them thoroughly so that by the time they healed I was back to breathing hard.

When I pulled away again the smile that curved my lips was full of wicked things. "More?" I asked in a voice that sounded nothing like my own. A sexual purr.

"Please," he groaned and pulled me closer for another scorching kiss.

Hands wandered up my thighs, skimming over my skin, leaving a brand of ownership behind. I felt claimed, consumed, on fire. Godric's hands squeezed my butt, massaging, moulding. I moved back into them, needing more.

Eric let me go and I fell back into Godric's arm, cradled against his chest. I moved, needed the friction, eliciting a growl from him.

"Careful, ma petite, I am not in a gentle mood tonight," he whispered next to my ear. I shivered at the dark promise in those words.

Half turning to look at him, my breath caught in my throat. His face was all masculine lines and power. Godric was turned young, on the cusp of adulthood, but there was nothing youthful in the glint of his eyes that spoke of lust and sex, or the hard planes of his cheeks that were accentuated by his hunger, or his fangs. The fangs that have given me pleasure on more than one occasion.

Almost without thought I licked my lips, he followed the movement of my tongue; a predator ready to taste his prey.

"Then don't be gentle, be yourself," I whispered turning around and straddling him in the same movement as our lips crashed together. The force of the desire sending shock waves through me and I felt his body shudder in a mirror effect of mine.

His hands brought my hips surging down around him, impaling me with one smooth thrust. I screamed into the kiss, needing an outlet for the sudden burst of pleasure, pain. It felt too much, too quickly, and not enough.

He left me there for a moment, adjusting to the sudden intrusion, letting my body pulse around him, my muscles contracted slightly as the initial pain turned to outright bliss. I rocked, suddenly wanting more, needing to feel his claiming me as much as I knew he wanted to.

A pair of arms came around us. Eric's lips pressed to my shoulder. The kiss more of a bite. I felt his cool, wet body surround me, cherishing my complete surrender.

Arching, seeking more contact, I sighed, contentment warring with desire in me. I felt whole, claimed, loved.

"Lover, are you ready? Do you want this?" He whispered between kisses on my neck.

I nodded, unable to say the words, the need in me so strong I was almost bursting.

"Good," Godric whispered as he shifted me to make room for Eric, who bent over to Godric's neck, and bit.

"What…" I started, shocked, but then I understood as he pulled away making room for me. They wanted to make it easier, so I wouldn't have to bite with my dull teeth.

Ecstasy coursed through me as my lips closed over the small wounds Eric made and Godric's blood rushed into my mouth like an eruption of glorious orgasms. My mind splintered from the all consuming pleasure. I barely felt the bite on my shoulder, but the connection between us was instantaneous.

I felt Eric. All of him. His joy at being this close to me, his desire, lust, everything.

I sucked, and drifted on the currents of our mutual pleasure. Godric's hands moved my hips, helping ride the storm, ride him when my own body wasn't capable of movement.

Then, he was with us too. A deeper feeling, stronger. His presence overshadowing us both as he joined the bond, wrapping around our consciousness, a protective warmth.

With the last sip the connection burst with millions of lights, fireworks, a roar of pleasure taking us into oblivion.

When I came back to myself I was dry and in bed, tucked in between to male bodies.

"What was that?" I whispered still high on the after affects.

"You've bonded closer to us now," Godric explained. "Though you only had my blood, it will still make the connection between you and Eric stronger, but the one between us…who knows. You are not exactly human; I had never bonded with someone that was not."

My limbs were sore, pleasantly so, and I stretched out carefully to make sure there wasn't any real pain.

"I feel so good," I said in wonder.

They chuckled, the masculine sound tugging strings in, waking up parts that I'd thought were all used up tonight.

I turned to Eric, his chest glowing lightly in the darkness of the room. Wicked thoughts dancing in my brain and before I knew it I was kissing his chest, my tongue swirling circles around his nipple.

"Lover, be careful what you play with," he said in a tight voice. The underlying message clear as bell. I bit him in answer.

Then there was no more talking, just hands, and tongue, and fangs…and I found oblivion many, many more times that night because none of us made it out of our bedroom.


	6. Chapter 6

_I have another update of Dying Heart. It's a little earlier than I planned, but I decided to publish it anyway. I didn't think anyone would mind. :)_

_Just a heads up for next few weeks. I'm not sure when I'll update again, it may take me slightly longer as I've still to write the chapter, and plan out the Jackson campaign really. I know the over all plot, but not all the details. If my (imaginary) friends cooperate I might even have something by next weekend, but my (imaginary) friends hardly ever do, so I'm not going to be betting on it. Not that I bet on much, really, I don't gamble._

_There is also the fact that I'll be working on another story that I really do want to start posting. I mean it has been sitting for long enough on my desktop and I really want to see it finished._

_Thank you guys for the feedback. I appreciate it all, even if I don't always reply individually. I do read them all. Thank you!_

_Huge big hugs to MellyKen for going through this for me, any left over mistakes are all mine, since I played after she did her magic._

_Disclaimer: Toys aren't mine, I just play with them._

* * *

I walked down the pathway to the garage in a state of rising dread. My insides churned again, threatening to make my breakfast come back the way it went down. I pressed my hand against my stomach, the soft coat I'd worn felt warm and comforting under it. I hoped like hell the toast I'd eaten earlier stayed put.

"Good morning!" I said sweetly, with the biggest smile that I could manage. It strained my face to smile that big; it was my fake smile. Now usually when I greeted my Were guards the smile wasn't artificial, but today, while it started out well, went to smithereens in seconds. I was fine, more than fine, I was feeling fantastic after last night's blood exchange. This morning I had extra energy when I woke up, the mirror revealed a new sparkle in my eye, glossy highlighted hair, glowing skin….Who was I kidding?

I glowed!

I felt my stomach twisting yet again.

I woke up this morning glowing. No, not like the usual vampire glow, I wish I was lucky enough to have that regular glow now. Vampires glowed, apparently apart from the undead I was the only one privileged to see their shine. It was subtle, but none the less present. That was how I knew to recognise them, that and the fact that their minds were a complete blank to me, a void.

My smile wavered, and then completely disappeared as I watched the faces of my guards while they took me in. I had hoped that maybe they won't be able to see it, like the humans couldn't see the vampire's glow.

No. I glowed in a completely knew way. Like a shine, iridescence, almost as though I sparkled. The first thing I did do was stick my hand under the light in the living room just to make sure I didn't. I'd fallen back onto the couch in relief when the intensity of the shine had remained the same. Temporary relief, by then I was just beyond any other state, but shocked paralysis. It surprised me that neither of the vampires woke up from my panic to be honest, it was that intense.

"Wow! Sookie, you're looking—"Jeremy started, his eyes were bulging. The usual easy smile had turned into astonishment, almost alarm.

"Don't! I know. I have no idea what is going on," I snapped, immediately feeling guilty for being so short with him; it wasn't his fault I had Godric's blood and ended up glowing.

"When did this happen?" Kyle questioned frowning. From the tone I gathered he thought it was my fault as per usual. The expression wasn't new to me since he was usually unhappy about something. Most of the time it was something I'd done; intentionally or not I had a way of pressing Kyle's buttons. He was a very good guard, and his problem with me stemmed more from my being careless with my own security rather than my personality.

He took his job very seriously. Kyle was a serious guy. He was older, in his mid forties. Tall and heavily built, he looked threatening enough even when you didn't know he was shaggy and howling once every four weeks. He did that too, and I knew for a fact he was also lethal fur or not.

Jeremy gave me an understanding half smile, brown eyes danced with amusement at me being in trouble again. He always thought it was amusing, even if he was the one to get into trouble with Kyle. Though they worked together, Kyle was his boss. Jeremy was younger than me, still training. He was very good, the best tracker and by far one of the strongest people I'd ever seen and I'd seen a lot of strong people. He was almost as strong as Godric, we'd tested. Well, Eric had when they hired them.

For all his goofiness and easy going nature he was vigilant, loyal, and trustworthy. I liked him.

"I woke up with it," I admitted. He wasn't satisfied with the answer, but I think he gathered from my reluctance that I wasn't giving him more. Neither one of us said that I will be having an extended conversation with their bosses after sunset. We all knew that. I had also considered calling Dr Ludwig, she was my doctor now. My being on Fangtasia's payroll had all the great benefits Eric provided his staff. Dr Ludwig wasn't one of those normally, but mine was a special case. After all I couldn't possibly explain my enhanced senses, or slightly changed blood. And the blood thing would definitely be found out about in a regular hospital; Dr Ludwig had tested that and came up with some interesting results. I had no idea what they meant really; suffice to say I wasn't very human these days.

"So, Sparkles, what's the plan for today?" Jeremy asked with a devilish grin.

I gave him a menacing glare, fingers itching to smack him one on the head. "We are going shopping," I said knowing how much he'd appreciate that answer. The groan of pure suffering from him was enough of a payback.

The ride to the mall was quiet. Well, Kyle was quiet, he drove the Escalade. I sat in the passenger seat, while Jeremy lounged in the back. He'd tried to talk a bit, but sensing I wasn't up to our regular banter quietened down.

It was a good thing the car was large; they would never have fit into my…well, it was history now, that car was long gone. I sighed, thinking I really needed to check out the car dealerships soon, I couldn't drive Eric's car indefinitely. Even if he wanted me to, I just couldn't. I wanted to have my own. I'd been looking forward to buying one for months. Though, now that I'd have constant guards, I wasn't sure what to buy. I wanted to get something that was small and economical, but with the new arrangement that was out of the question. I eyed Kyle out of the corner of my eye, trying to picture him in a small car.

His owned truck, naturally. Every guy in these parts who could afford one did; it was one of those male things I just didn't understand to be honest. He'd never be comfortable in something small. Between him and Jeremy; it would be a joke really.

"So what are we shopping for?" Jeremy asked after exhausting all the possible jokes on my current predicament.

"Christmas presents," I told him.

He leaned back on the door, so when I shifted I could see his face. It was almost as shiny as mine, his smile was that large. "I have a list," he told me excitedly.

"Why am I not surprised?" I asked rolling my eyes at his childishness. Secretly pleased as well, I knew he would.

Kyle didn't look impressed at all; he was still brooding over my appearance evidently. They had made me go back and get a hat and sunglasses. Thank goodness it was winter and a cold day to boot. After I was sufficiently, in Kyle's estimation, wrapped up we had finally left. Kyle was not happy about it, even with the snarly red haze confusing his thoughts I got that much from him.

I waited, it wouldn't take long.

"Would you like to hear it? Maybe you can see about getting a few things off it today for me, twinkles." Yep, Jeremy was that predictable, predictably irritating. The nicknames just kept on coming.

"You realise that isn't helping you get on my good list?"

He winked at me. "I know I'm already on it, sunshine, I'm just enjoying this too much."

Crossing my arms I looked straight ahead, we were getting close to the mall. "I'd be careful if I were you, or I'll ask Pam to help me shop for you."

The look of pure horror that I caught when I glanced at him made me want to giggle, I held it in. Just. Though they hardly ever worked with me at night, they had met Pam. They didn't get along. Pam was not a fan of fur, but she did respect Kyle's reputation if not his lifestyle. Apparently his was a well known fighter, ex-military and all.

Jeremy was a whole different story. The first time Jeremy met Pam he had _flirted_ with her. The look on Pam's face was something that still had me smiling whenever I remembered the episode. It had me double over in laughter for days, and after all the teasing she'd been doing in regards to me, Eric and Godric— payback's a bitch!

He looked at me sceptically. "You couldn't possibly be that mean, it's not in you."

I turned around to make sure he knew just how serious I was being, my face hurt from my struggle to keep the smile from appearing on it. "I would if you don't stop with the nicknames, wolfboy."

He snorted looking completely disgusted by my dirty play, but stayed quiet after that. Evidently the threat of Pam picking out a present for him was enough to keep him from teasing me. I filed that away for future use, having one over on him would prove useful. I doubted he'd want Pam to know just how much he didn't want her shopping for him.

The first stop was the pharmacy. I had to get some foundation to cover up my "natural glow". When I came out of the bathroom, finally being able to take the hat off was a relief. Kyle wasn't happy, but even he had to admit that with the heaviest layer of foundation I'd ever had to use the glow was barely noticeable. I looked like a clown, I thought disgruntled, but I really did have to pick up the presents today, if I wanted them to be ready for Christmas.

With greater forbearance than I thought possible, Jeremy chose not to comment on my current make-up. Kyle inspected me carefully though, and with a silent nod—my permission to continue—we went about business.

"So what did you get me?" Jeremy asked as I exited a store with Kyle in tow carrying bags.

"Absolutely nothing," I sang waltzing past him. I was too darn proud of myself in that moment, the presents turned out simply perfect. I just hoped the ones that were getting them thought so too. Not even the fact that I looked like an idiot with this much makeup could ruin my buzz.

Jeremy sighed theatrically as he fell into step with us. "You are a cruel woman, Miss Diamonds."

I turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "You really should at least _try_ to behave if you want me to get you something for Christmas." In reality I already had something in mind for him. I would never forgo giving a friend a present simply because that said friend could be exasperating. Tempting, but with my upbringing it just wouldn't happen, plus I really did like they guy. On most days.

His lazy smile told me he knew exactly what was going through my mind as he followed us.

We were on the way into yet another shop—I was getting tired, not to mention hungry, from all this—when my phone rang. Curiously, it was Sam. He'd paid me before I left the other day, so I picked up the phone wondering why the heck he was calling me when I'd only seen him yesterday.

"Hey, Sam."

"Hey, Cher. How are you? What are you up to now that you're not coming to Bon Temps to see us?"

I huffed, my hand flying to my hip. "I saw you yesterday, and I'm Christmas shopping so you better be nice, or I'll get you a collar as a present."

"You wouldn't!" he said with mock horror.

Kyle was scowling at me; he knew Sam was a shifter. Jeremy didn't bother to muffle his laughter. At least one of them got my humour.

"You with the Weres?" Sam asked cautiously.

"Yeah, they're here."

"Listen, cher, I actually did call you for a reason other than to see how you going."

"I gathered, what is it?"

"Someone came in looking for you." My smile from our easy banter froze on my lips.

Oh great, just great. Exactly what I needed on top of the glowing tan and who knew what else Godric's blood would change in me that had yet to make itself known. Apparently the Weres were still looking for me, having come up a telepath short.

Sam assured me he told them nothing. He said that they didn't even know what I looked like, which meant the other ones; the ones we'd killed hadn't had a chance to report back. At least some good news, though I was seriously wondering about my sanity that I considered that good news.

By the end of the phone call Kyle's frown had turned into a full out glower, and even Jeremy looked more sombre than usual. They'd heard everything Sam had told me. None of it had been good news.

I made a few more stops since we were already here. I had no idea what was going to happen tonight when my glow was discovered, so I made sure to get as much done as I possibly could. Frankly the idea that it was permanent and I'd have to cover myself like this every time I was in public made me woozy.

When we stopped for lunch, I'd insisted on taking care of the bill, it was my way of thanking them for hanging out in a mall for the last two hours. Even though they didn't really have a choice; it was their job, I still wanted to thank them, not many guys enjoyed shopping. Eric was a notable exception, and he only enjoyed it when I was the one modelling the clothes.

When we got back to the house it was closer to four, we'd done stopped for groceries on the way home. The guys helped out, bringing everything inside before leaving.

Jeremy tried to get a peek into the bags with the presents. He'd actually insisted on going into shops with me after the first one and proceeded to point out anything he liked, and even tried to help me pick things out for the others on my list.

I had to admit Pam's one was an inspired choice, but only because she walked in on Eric and me making out in his office last week. She did it deliberately too. I was tempted to get her the shoes. The brand said they were Crocs, the shoe was plastic and looked similar to those wooden Dutch shoes, but with holes. They even had them in pink. Tempting.

I was enjoying a cup of tea after having put everything away, washing off the layers of foundation, carefully hiding the presents from prying vampire eyes and getting the fire going when Godric wandered up. They had installed black out blinds on all the windows so that he'd have access to the rest of the house if he rose early. I knew he was awake when the blinds had started to close five minutes ago.

"Hey," I greeted him with a soft smile.

The house was dark save for the light from the fireplace, and I had completely forgotten about my new glowing trick. He noticed straight away and was immediately at my side inspecting my face.

"This is a new development." It was only after he raised his eyebrow that I'd realised it was a question, not a statement.

I shifted over to make room for him on the couch.

"Yeah. I glow in the light too," I proclaimed with little enthusiasm on the subject.

The secong eyebrows caught up to the first. "Interesting. I take it this has never happened before today?"

My mood was turning sour, fast. "No, this only happened after I had your blood last night. I am glowing now! I had to put a layer of make up just so I could go out in public, Godric. Thank God the make up covered it, or Kyle would have bundled me up, took me back here and I would have gotten nothing done at all. I glow!" I was breathing hard and fast, finally feeling all the panic I should have felt earlier today. No, I'd felt it then too, but I didn't let myself fall apart over it. It was okay to fall apart now, he was here, I trusted him, I could fall apart, because no matter how mad I was at him for causing this, I knew he'd be able to help me fix whatever was wrong with me.

Godric's arms wrapped around me and he pulled me into his lap as I tried to calm down. He started to make that soothing noise of his; it was something akin to a purr, though I wasn't sure how he managed it. Humans couldn't do something like that, but then he wasn't human.

My eyes focused on his arms around me. It had a soft blue shine to it, soft, almost imperceptible. It was different to mine; mine was… warmer, almost like a soft sun glowing inside me. I liked his more, his wasn't something ordinary humans could see. I didn't test if mine was, but as far as I knew Weres couldn't see vampire glow and they sure as hell saw mine.

"Why do I glow?" I finally whispered.

His hand rubbed my back as he thought about the answer. "I do not know, ma petite, it could be a number of things. My blood is the obvious catalyst, yet I get the feeling that it was only a detonator. This is not what normally happens from taking blood from a vampire, so it may be related to your own talents. The ones that Lexie said would be showing up. It is highly inconvenient that she isn't around." He tried to sound calm, but I picked up the agitation in him, almost as though I could feel it. But that would be impossible.

Last night they told me that eventually, with further blood exchanges, the bond would become stronger and I'd be able to feel them just as they do me. Eventually.

"Godric, I can feel you,"

It suddenly dawned on me that I had felt a jolt in me earlier, something clicking into place. I had _felt_ Godric wake up and didn't realise it.

My body started to shake. Panic gripping, stripping away any control I'd have had over muscles. I didn't even know why I was panicking like this, I'd known it would happen, I was prepared for it.

Just not this soon.

We'd only known each other for a short time and I didn't know how they felt about me. I didn't know if we'd last, I didn't know—

"Ma petite, Sookie, relax," he said his fingers cupping my chin and turning my face to his. I stared at him wild eyed, panic making me shake in his arms. "Of course you can feel me, I am right here."

I shook my head in jerky movements.

"I _feel_ you," I breathed unable to repeat the words louder.

Surprised cross his face chased by comprehension of my statement, and then I felt warmth suffuse me and wrap me up in a soft blanket of comfort. My shaking stopped, I breathed easier.

"But that is good, ma petite, I'm very glad. It is nothing to be upset over, we had known it would happen, maybe not after a second exchange, that is surprising indeed, but you shouldn't be scared."

There was no way to miss his exuberance over the news. It was evident in his voice, his hold on me, and even in me. I felt it all. And close contact seemed to only amplify things.

My eyes filled up with tears. I was overwhelmed, his emotions overwhelming. I closed my eyes to keep myself from crying. "It's too much." My voice broke on the words just as his arms tightened around me. The flood of emotions suddenly dwindling to almost nothing, an echo of what I'd felt before.

"Better? I can control the bond between us so it doesn't overwhelm you," he said softly, nuzzling my forehead. "As for the glow, we'll figure it out. It will be fine. I am sure there is a way for you to cover it up. Maybe try meditating later? Lexie had been teaching you how, yes? I am sure it will be fine."

I nodded. "Can I do that?"

"What?"

"Turn off the bond like you just did." I wanted to have some control, anything, I was feeling so powerless with all these new changes in my body, it was frustrating. I hated being so out of control.

"In time, though I prefer that you did not close it. I enjoy feeling you, knowing you are there."

I picked my head up to look at him. "Well, I enjoy the idea that I can have privacy if I need it."

There was more than a hint of anger in the words, I'd known that, didn't care. I was feeling cornered.

"If that is what you wish than you only have to ask." I'd known I would hurt his feelings, but seeing the hurt reflected back still made me wince inside. The shadows of his past danced in his eyes.

"I don't, wish it," I said brushing his cheek with my fingers. "I just want to know that I have the option there."

He didn't say anything, but I could tell he understood.

I snuggled into him, letting myself get lost in him for a moment. Godric had become one of my closest friends in the short time I'd known him.

We sat there for a while him watching the fire and me just enjoying our closeness.

Finally, after a long time I shifted, picking up my head. His face contained everything I'd wanted to see in that moment, but mostly it was just pleasure and contentment.

"Movie?" he asked. The distraction was certainly needed tonight.

We'd do that occasionally when he rose, just watch a movie for a while, it was our bonding time, I enjoyed it; he liked watching less gory and more romantic ones.

Right now, a few hours of something as ordinary as watching a movie sounded like heaven., so we headed downstairs to do just that.

I knew when Eric woke up immediately. There was the tell tale sign of his body suddenly switching on. It was an eerie feeling. One minute he was for all intents and purposes dead, and the next alive. Like someone flipping the "on" switch.

Eric usually breathed when he woke up. Tonight that wasn't the only thing he did. His hand immediately found its way under my top, fingers working under the band of my pj bottoms. I quickly blocked any further advancement by swatting at them.

"We're getting to the good part," I whispered, my eyes not straying from the screen.

He sighed snuggling closer, his hand shifted to cover my stomach. Eric was a big fan of sex, but I discovered snuggling was his next favourite thing to do if sex wasn't on the menu. I didn't mind, not one little bit.

We watched the end of the movie in companionable silence. It had been Godric's turn to pick, and he picked Serendipity.

"That was really sweet," I said to no one in particular when the credits began to roll. I shifted to press my face into Godric, inhaling his musky dry scent. "Good choice."

His hand caressed my shoulder lightly, and we'd have stayed there if it hadn't been for Eric's question. "Lover, you are glowing?"

I groaned, hiding my face further into Godric. I had almost forgotten while we had been distracted by the movie.

"It would seem that our Sookie finally found one of the new powers Lexie has been promising, though I'm not sure how this one is at all helpful," Godric answered the question for me.

Laughter bubbled up in me, I didn't hold it back. I couldn't. In the last few months we have all been walking on eggshells. There was always an invisible tension present as we all waited for me to do something new and supernatural. Light up a fire maybe, cause some flashy lightning, but this? Skin glowing? It was ridiculously funny since we'd all expected something more, well, explosive.

Here we were, all _three_ of us glowing now. The vampires a bluer hue to me, but all three glowing! My life has definitely gotten bizarre lately. I couldn't stop laughing.

"I do not see what is funny," Eric told me blandly, and that made me laugh even more.

When I finally managed to come down enough to speak again I said, "At least we all match now." And giggled again at the absurdity of my remark.

He chuckled then; my mood must have been contagious. Kissing my shoulder he got off the bed. "I'm glad to see you're taking this so well. I need to make a few calls, but then we'll look into this, maybe we can get in touch with someone who can help you control this while Lexie is unavailable." His face drew into a frown as he no doubt went down a very long list of contacts. "Dr Ludwig perhaps?"

I propped up on one arm. "Can't we wait a bit, I mean; the glow might switch off by itself, right?" I begged sounding like a whiny child. The idea of explaining how I'd come by the glow to the grumpy doctor had me blushing already.

"She is very discreet, ma petite, even if her manners are lacking. And I'm sure you will feel better if we can get some concrete answers at to the cause of all this," Godric stroked me in a way one would comfort a child. Well, I deserved that after all the whining.

"You know the cause of all this," I said giving him a meaningful look.

"Yes, my blood, but we do not know for sure if that is an after effect, or something else. It would be better to be certain, yes?"

He was right, we all knew it. I had lost the argument before it even started. I didn't like it, but I was powerless against their logic. "Fine," I grumbled, getting out of bed myself. It would be sunset soon and Pam would be here right after to start our training session. I really wasn't looking forward to what she had to say on this subject.

"Where are you going?" Godric asked as I was stomping to the wardrobe.

Eric was chuckling as I made my way past him, ignoring him and his sexy naked body. Or tried to ignore anyway, Eric was hard to ignore.

"I'm getting dressed and going to the gym to meditate, maybe it will help switch off the light," I barked. There wasn't any bite to the words, not really, it wasn't their fault I was a light bulb without a switch, but the pent up frustration I'd been feeling all day was looking for a target and they were conveniently right here.

Jogging to the gym through the garden was refreshing, I kept my pace brisk, without a jacket it was almost frosty and the cool evening air bit my skin as soon as I walked out of the door.

They had let me go without any fuss. I was glad. While part of me wanted them to argue, I was glad we didn't, it would have been unfair to put the blame on them, even if it had been their idea to begin with.

The gym was under the garage. It was a large room without much equipment in it, just a large space. Vampires didn't need any since it they couldn't exactly bulk up.

One of the walls completely made of glass showed a perfect view of the lake. The rest were covered in an array of weapons, some I've (I'd) practised with, others I had no idea _how_ to use, but all had been used by Eric and Godric at one point or another. I dragged my matt over to the centre of the room and sat facing the view and the fast fading sun.

Minutes went by as I concentrated on breathing, letting the scenery in front of me take over my mind. When that faded away as the last of the light dimmed behind the horizon I closed my eyes, the complete lack of light, apart from my own glow, not bothering me.

I had become very used to the darkness lately, it was soothing, it was the time I knew I'd be completely safe. Strange how night now signified so many good things for me, though for most people it was when all the nightmares came to life.

Another breath, I pictured my light dimming, going back inside my skin, disappearing from the naked eye.

Breathing out, I let myself feel weightless, free.

Again and again, I held the image in my mind, the light inside me, my skin normal. It was soothing, the process. I was so lost in it I mustn't have heard Pam coming in, but then again she was always very quiet.

"Well, whatever those two were talking about I have no idea, you look completely normal to me, Sookie," Pam said in her usual dry tones.

My eyes snapped open. I looked down, examining my arms. She was right. I wasn't glowing. I jumped up and turned towards her, my smile brilliant.

"I love you, Pam," I sang as I bounced over and hugged her tight.

She was rigid in my arms. "Sookie, if I knew that this is all it would take for you to decide to change teams, I'd have said something earlier."

I quickly let her go. "I meant as a friend!'

She gave me a toothy grin. "Pity."

Checking my arms again to make sure I hadn't been mistaken. "I really was glowing earlier."

"Well, do you have a picture?" I looked at her blankly. "Of you glowing. Preferably naked."

"Pam!" I cried outraged. I would never…

"How am I supposed to believe you had been glowing then?" she asked slightly put out.

I shook my head; Pam was, as always, her usual self.

"I think we'd better tell them about this," I said, more to myself. I was pretty sure both would be relieved to know I wasn't going to be glowing on a permanent basis. Apparently my meditation sessions had been useful all along.

Before I could get past her, Pam had her arms on my shoulders. Now, Pam wasn't much taller than me, but her vampire strength had me rooted in place.

She leaned in again, taking a deep whiff of me.

I crossed my arms, not impressed. "I'm not sure I'm in the mood for your lesbian games tonight."

She game me a blank look. "You don't smell."

"Thanks, Pam." I said dryly.

She shook her head. "No, Sookie, you don't smell of anything." She seemed to be looking for a way to describe her weird statement. "You smell human."

"Um. Pam, I am human," I told her. If this was yet another manoeuvre of hers to grope me, I wasn't impressed.

She rolled her eyes, letting go of my shoulders. I stepped back just to make sure she wouldn't try anything again.

God knows Pam had tried just about everything to get close to me. It amused me, normally, her objective usually to bother Eric, and to some extent Godric. She succeeded marvellously almost every time.

"Sookie, sometimes I wonder about you. You don't smell of Eric, Godric, or the otherness that I've come to associate with you since Lexie whatever it was that made you smell yummier than before," she finally elaborated, shedding light on her strange behaviour.

"How's that possible? I thought I'd be stinking off them by now," I blurted out. I couldn't actually smell anything different, even now with my stronger sense, but the vampires insisted that I was claimed. The archaic term went against my independent spirit, but it did make them less…nervous around other supes, so I let it go.

A frown appeared on Pam's flawless face. "I have no idea, but we'd better tell them that as well." Like they wouldn't be able to smell it straight away. She hooked her arm through mine and started towards the door. "You are so much trouble."

At that moment, I couldn't have agreed more.

"You aren't glowing anymore," were the first words Godric said when he saw me walking into the kitchen. He was next to me in a blink, holding my hand to check my skin. What exactly for I had no clue. Maybe some sort of invisible to human eye disease that prevented abnormal glowing abilities?

Then his face darkened, fangs popping out so fast I jumped. "What did you do, ma petite?" he asked bending closer to my neck as he smelled me. I trembled despite the fact that I knew that he would never harm me willingly.

"I don't know," my voice was small.

"I only smell Pam on you," he said frustrated. He rubbed his cheek against mine, before kissing the pulse on my neck that had been beating rather more rapidly than normal. I hated feeling anxious around vampires, they could hear and smell it, damn it.

Pam had wisely let go of me when we had walked inside. Seeing Godric's reaction I understood why. He looked like he was ready to go on a rampage. Protective vampire staking a claim on Sookie Stackhouse. Check.

I let him.

He'd been on edge ever since the attack and if this helped, well, who was I to push him away. Besides, it wasn't exactly a big hardship being kissed and groped by my…undead boyfriend? God, I really needed to come up with a better name for him than that.

I pushed him away gently when I was sure he'd managed to mark all of me that was possible without getting naked. I was pretty sure he'd get me naked right here in order to double make sure, but I wasn't about to go that far with Pam in the house.

"We need to talk," Eric said walking into the room. I swallowed, expecting him to repeat the process. He didn't, instead walking to sit down on the couch.

Pam had been right behind him, and she settled in the armchair. Neither of them looked happy.

Godric and I sat on the other couch opposite to Eric. I waited, somehow knowing that whatever was bothering Eric had nothing to do with my glowing, or the sudden lack of it.

Whatever it was, what he said next was the _last_ thing I expected him to say.

"Bill's missing." Two words, said in a clipped, precise, slightly accented voice that told me just how upset he was.

I was confused.

"Didn't he move away?" I asked feeling a little miffed. I was having a crisis here and we were talking about my ex.

Eric bend forward, putting his elbows on his legs and running a hand through his hair in what seemed to be frustration. Such a human gesture on him unsettled me.

"What happened?" Godric asked.

"Apparently his coffin was taken from the airport in Jackson," Pam supplied.

Was Jackson where he was moving?

"But don't they have really good security in airports?" I asked.

"It would seem there was some sort of distraction at the time by a fire," Eric answered. He then proceeded to explain the circumstance in more detail. "In the confusion the coffin was lost."

Pam made a delicate snort I'd have smiled at in any other situation.

"So, what's the problem, wouldn't the sheriff, or whatever of Jackson look for him. Isn't that how it works?" I asked. Sure I was worried about Bill. I was also wondering why we were talking about this now, since Bill was out of Eric's jurisdiction. I was really lost.

Godric stirred at my side, his arm bringing me closer to him in the process. "He hadn't finished had he, before leaving?" He asked.

"No," was Eric's only answer.

A cold dread filled me. I had no idea what they were talking about, but suddenly my last conversation with Bill came back to me. The part about him asking me for a favour.

"What?" I asked.

The vampires exchanged looks. I hated when they did that, it meant they were evaluating how much they could tell me. But the other reason I hated it was that, usually, it also meant that I really would regret learning whatever it was later.

Eric gave me a serious look. "Bill was working on a project for the Queen. I do not know what it was, the details of the project were never revealed, but I do know it was important enough that if we do not get it before she finds out that he's missing…"

"We will be in deep shit," Pam supplied succinctly.

My hands started to get sweaty and my throat felt dry.

"And I'm guessing he didn't tell y'all where it was before getting kidnapped?" I clarified.

"No," Eric confirmed.

"Have you looked at his house?"

Pam looked so serious that it was scary. "It had been searched when our people got there. If it is still safely hidden somewhere else or not is a mystery."

"Did he mention anything to you the other night, Sookie?" Eric asked me after a pause.

I considered no mentioning anything, but decided I wasn't about to defend my cheating ex-boyfriend in front of them. "Only that he wanted me to look after something, but not what. I agreed, but he never did contact me after that."

None of them seemed too happy with the news.

"You didn't mention it earlier," Eric said quietly.

"It hadn't been important, and we were sidetracked," I told him defensively. How was I supposed to know what he'd been talking about? "What's going to happen?"

I wasn't sure what I was asking. Did I want to know what would happen to Eric if the queen found out? To all of us, since we were all together? To Bill? Was he really kidnapped? What the hell was this thing that was so important?

It took Eric a long time to answer. He'd looked reluctant. "If we do not locate Bill so he can hand in the project himself, we will need to find it. Otherwise, like Pam said "we will be in deep shit."

I had no doubt that could mean something worse than I could ever imagine. Vampires were not known for their mercy, something I still had trouble accepting in my own lovers, let alone in others of their race.

"So, you're going to Jackson to get him back?"

He looked pained, if such a thing was possible. "I can't."

Understanding dawned on me. I felt fear rise up, fear and anger. "You want me to go," I said in a dead voice.

"Absolutely not!" Godric proclaimed.

Anger flashed on Eric's face. I tried to sink back into the couch knowing what was coming next. I'd seen these two argue, last night's discussion about my future guard was nothing in comparison. And though Eric respected Godric's opinion, they didn't see eye to eye on everything. Godric never forced Eric to his will…yeah…it's not hard to figure out what happens when they don't agree.

"We may not have a choice," Pam stated clam in the face of her grand-sire's anger. She viewed Godric as a friend as well, another person to shop for.

"Sookie can't go. It is too dangerous. Her abilities seem to be surfacing. What if she starts to glow again?"

"She's the only one of us who may stand a chance," Eric countered.

"I'll go," Godric said with a note of finality. He stood up, and started to pace behind the couch I was sitting on. His movements so quick, since he wasn't trying to keep them slow for my sake that he became a blur. It made me dizzy, so I didn't watch.

I didn't want to go. Really didn't. I just knew I'd get into trouble of some kind, and the last few months had been so peaceful. The quiet had been nice.

I looked from Pam to Eric, taking in their grim faces, trying to picture what would happen if I ignored the nagging in my head. I couldn't not go. It was an impossibility for me to ignore the facts in front of me.

"I'll do it," I said.

Godric was in front of me, and blocking my view. "No, you won't. It's dangerous."

I stared at him, my jaw jutting out a bit at his assumptions. "You're not the boss of me, Godric! I know you care about me. Well, guess what? I care about all of you too. I'm not going to just sit here, and pretend like nothing's wrong. I can't! Not when I know that my help could be your only chance at getting Bill back and his damn whatever!"

I'd gotten up too. I wasn't about to be cowered by him. I was so angry at him for thinking so little of me, at the queen for being a threat, and at Bill for managing to fuck up my life, again.

"You're glowing again," he said almost smugly.

I looked down at my hands, yep, glowing. Well, fuck.

"It doesn't matter, I'm still going. I can know how to control it now," I told him.

"Not well," Eric put in.

I turned to him, exasperated. "Whose side are you on?"

He held his hand up defensively not saying anything else.

"What will happen if you glow in Jackson? How will you explain that?" Godric leaned in. "You smell like us again as well. Eric too."

I glared at him.

"None of this will make a difference. I'm still going, you can come along as well, but whatever you're going to say won't change my mind on this."

Truth be told, I was scared. But my fear wouldn't change the facts, and I'd just have to deal with it.

We glared at each other.

"She'll have protection while in Jackson," Eric put in.

Godric on him. "Who? Who would you trust her life with?" He asked pointing to me in emphasis. He was _very_ upset.

"Alcide has a business there, he'd mentioned going to Jackson. He would do nicely."

I groaned. My irritation now encompassed the Viking sitting on the couch. Suddenly, I wasn't so sure I wanted to go.

"He hates me," I mumbled. Of course, they all heard me.

"I'm sure you'll change his mind. After all, you've managed to convert me, and I am much fussier in my friends than a furr ball," Pam said.

Geez, thanks, Pam.

"He will protect you regardless of his feeling for you," Eric stated. "He owes me a debt."

"I can not agree to this," Godric hissed at him.

Godric was his maker, but in that moment Eric was his sheriff. I wondered how that worked. Would Eric being sheriff be enough to trump Godric's wishes?

Eric didn't say a word. I wasn't sure what passed between them, the emotions were too quick for me to read, and the bond between us too weak and overloaded.

"Fine, but I will be going as well," Godric finally said.

"Thank you." Eric bowed his head in acknowledgement.

It was the first time I'd seen him so deferential to Godric. I was hardly breathing by now, too focused them.

"Don't thank me yet, you will not like it if something happens to her," Godric said.

I was about to say that I could take care of myself, but stopped. He wasn't in the mood to listen, and I was pretty sure he didn't really mean what he was implying. He couldn't mean that.

I rubbed my temples feeling drained all over again now that the worst of that confrontation was over. Having too old and pissed off vampires in the room with you, was not pleasant. Tonight was going to be a long night. "Do y'all want something to drink? I'm guessing this is going to take a while. Pam, are you going to be able to stay later for practise, or do you want to cancel?"

She gave me an astonished look. "And miss the opportunity to tou…train you? Of course, I will stay. I would also like a True Blood."

Shaking my head, I went to organize drinks.


	7. Chapter 7

_Thank you all for the lovely reviews! _

_Dear Kelsey, I do indeed watch the Vampire Diaries. Trust me when I say it is with a great amount of effort I am restraining myself from writing a fic where I can play with Damon to my hearts content. :) Alas, if I went down that road this story would come to a screeching halt. Damon will in all probability take over my creative muse; he does seem to enjoy manipulating people. I'm not saying I never will, but I do want to get these stories done first. _

_I'd like to give a shout out to MellyKen for going over this chapter for me. *hugs*_

_Any mistakes are mine, as I shamelessly played with it after I got it back. Do let me know if you see anything glaringly annoying - I am unfortunately blind when it comes to things like that in my own fics. Anyway..._

_So we are finally on our way to Jackson, but before the action really starts there is Alcide to deal with. I hope you enjoy._

_Disclaimer: I do not own anything here save for Jeremy.

* * *

_

The morning was bright and sunny; the complete opposite of my mood when I stomped upstairs in search of coffee. I barely slept and what sleep I did get had been broken.

Thank goodness I'd packed the night before after Eric had told me that Alcide agreed to take me to Jackson. The process of packing last night was made easier by the fact that I only folded—Pam picked out all my clothes. It made her happy, even if she didn't show it I knew it did.

The plan was that Alcide would pick me up from Fangtasia at noon. Jeremy would collect me from home and take me there; nobody was taking any chances with my safety. Well, until I was in Jackson; then I'd be responsible for not getting myself into trouble.

I didn't complain, for once the sombre mood around me made me compliant to their wishes, steeling my tongue on the argument that I was more than capable to drive myself.

We didn't get to bed till almost sunrise. Pam had stayed to train (and pack) with me, but she didn't push me as much as I was expecting. Our session would have been considered light even by Lexie standards. She'd hugged me in the end, and with uncharacteristic feeling told me to stay out of trouble. If I hadn't been worried already that alone would have had me panicking.

Despite his show of confidence Eric had been just as worried. Oh, he tried to hide it, but I found out that my blood exchange with Godric had a side effect that was useful too. I'd picked up some of Eric's emotion through skin to skin contact. In a futile attempt he'd tried to hide it, but I felt him anyway. I was pretty sure it was about me. He might have been the one to suggest my trip to Jackson, but it hadn't been without reservations.

We'd made love in the early hours of the morning, soft and gentle, just the two of us. His persistence had almost killed me as he stretched one long orgasm into the next. And afterwards I fell asleep in his arms while he whispered something to me in a language I couldn't understand. And as much as I wanted to know, I didn't have the energy to ask.

Godric didn't come back that night. And if it wasn't for my instinctual knowledge that he was fine along with Eric's assurances of the same I would have been more worried. As it was I had a suspicion that part of Eric's motives had been to completely distract me with orgasms. It had worked marvellously, but this morning I felt the emptiness of the bed despite my Vikings presence in it.

With a touch of wonder I let myself remember his parting words, my fingers hovering over my lips, his kiss still a vibrant imprint on them.

"Why are you so mad at me about this? I went to rescue you before I even knew you." My words seemed harsher in the stark light of the day. And the hurt look in his eyes when I'd said them dug deep into me, I was haunted by it.

I felt his ghost hands cupping my face gently, fingers spreading on my cheeks as he brought our foreheads together. My eyes fluttered close.

"I love you, Sookie." I had stood there stunned by his words, caught in the caress of fingers on my cheeks and the intensity with which he regarded me. "I could not bear the destruction of who I love again. Take care of yourself in Jackson, ma petite. Take care of my soul," he whispered. His eyes had burned into mine, all of him open to me in that brief second before his lips brushed mine. And then I was alone in the darkness with doubts creeping out from the shadows.

I knew without being told just how risky my visit to Jackson was going to be. They didn't have to tell me any details on that front to realise I'd be swimming through dangerous water.

I had no doubt that finding Bill would be difficult. I had no idea how I was going to rescue him, and get him back. I only hoped that Eric was right, and I'd have help when I needed it.

Shaking off the gloomy feeling of unease I poured a second cup of coffee.

It was just past ten in the morning. I hadn't been up this early after such a late night in months. Lately I only needed a few hours of sleep, but the last couple of days had drained me. I was exhausted and wired at the same time.

When my phone rang, I almost spilt the coffee as the music broke into the silence startling me.

"Hey, sunshine. How's it going? Still sparkling?" Jeremy's extremely cheery greeting told me he was wide awake and happy about it. God help me, he was a morning person.

"As a matter of fact, no. Where are you?"

He snickered into the phone, probably pleased he'd gotten a rise out of me. "Coming up to the gates, cranky pants, do you want me at the house, or garage?"

I told him to meet me at the house since I was still making breakfast. Plus my bag was heavy and I had no intentions of carrying it all the way to the garage.

When he knocked on the front door a few minutes later I opened it to find what I expected. A very cheerful and most importantly awake Werewolf: the grimace on my face was an involuntary reaction.

He looked me over. "How'd you manage that?"

"What?" I stared at him blankly. Clearly the coffee wasn't helping, not a good sign for the rest of the day.

"You're not glowing anymore," he clarified sounding disappointed. I'm sure he was, seeing as he'd just lost a valuable foothold.

Crossing my arms over my chest I gave him a smug smile. "And here I thought I'd share my breakfast with you, but now…"

The amount of effort it took for me to keep a stoic expression while watching his face fall was herculean. I managed anyway.

"C'mon, Sookie." He all but begged. "Please." Oh, the puppy eyes!

I couldn't hold it anymore, I laughed.

"Come on in," I said making way for him. "But you'll be on your best behaviour, puppy, or I'll accidentally burn something." I didn't tell him I'd already made his breakfast. Let him stew for a bit.

It was the first time Jeremy had ever been inside the house for longer than dropping of grocery bags. Normally, my guards would pick me up from the garage, but I had no intention of missing out on my food; I already missed dinner last night. I was starving and cooking had only made me more hungry.

"So, Jackson." It wasn't a question, making me wonder just how much Eric had told him.

I slid the hot plate of food I'd gotten out of the oven towards him. Eggs, bacon, hash browns and baked beans. I went all out this morning; cooking equalled therapy in my books.

"Yep. Looks like it. You know anything interesting to do there?" I asked getting my own plate out. I'd already put the juice and cups on the bench.

He gave me a wary look. "I'd prefer—as would everyone else—that you kept to the most _un_interesting activities while there."

I chuckled. "Yeah, I'm sure y'all would. But do you really think I'd manage to do that?"

His answering laugh was slightly hollow, but I pretended not to notice. It was nice to be able to laugh about all this, just for a little while.

It was also nice to sit and eat with someone who actually ate in this house. And Lexie didn't count. Sure I'd spent plenty of meals at the Stackhouse homestead with Phedre. But this was different. I haven't ever invited anyone here. The idea of having friends over at this house wasn't something I'd thought about simply because up until very recently it hadn't been my house. When all this was over I'd have to talk to my vampires about having my friends come visit me.

"What's he like?" I asked Jeremy. We were already on our way to Fangtasia to meet up with Alcide Herveaux. I sincerely hoped he wouldn't be as much of a jackass as he'd been on previous occasions.

"Who?"

"Alcide," I clarified.

Jeremy looked at me sideways. "You've met him before?"

"Yeah, but I didn't get much of a read on him." I told him honestly. My guards were well aware of my "abilities". While Kyle usually ignored them, Jeremy's usually pestered me to use them on strangers when we were out. He thought it was fun to listen in; when he was around to joke about what I heard it was. "We didn't get past the "I'm a Were and you are a fangbanger" routine."

He snorted. "Very funny."

It was my turn to look at him sideways. "You're the one who asked, and you were the one who postured last time."

He actually had the decency to look guilty. "I didn't know you back then. For all I know you could have been a regular fangbanger that just tasted better."

I snorted, but kept quiet. We all knew that was the truth of it. Most fangbangers were just that. I hated the fact that my dating the vampires would always be looked under the same light.

"He's a nice guy once you get to know him, sparky. I'm sure you'll get along just fine when he sees you for the charming, intelligent and classy lady that you are."

My lips twitched as I tried to scowl. "Are you making fun of me, furball?"

"See, delightfully charming," he pointed out with a smile.

Neither of us could hold in the laughter after that.

When we pulled into the front parking lot of Fangtasia it was bare. Having never seen the building during the day only accentuated the eeriness. The bright neon signs were off, and there was no line of pitiful humans hoping to be bitten. No vampires either, since the sun was out.

Completely different.

There was no mystery, just a plain warehouse building with a neon sign.

There was, however, a blue pickup truck sitting in the middle of the emptiness. Naturally top of the line, and I just knew that the inside held every single possible upgrade known to man.

Alcide Herveaux was a typical southern man, even if he had a predisposition to be furry on occasion. He was leaning against his pickup truck, scowling at ours.

He did not look happy about being saddled with me. Seeing as he had been the one we'd questioned about the Were's attack I wasn't entirely surprised. Heck, I'd been expecting attitude.

Jeremy used his own pickup to drive me here today, forgoing the usual change of vehicles. It saved him extra mileage between my house and the city; he lived in the city. After inspecting my new security and his larger than life attitude Jeremy said, "Do you want me to have a word with him?"

As tempting as the idea was, it just wouldn't do. "I'll manage, but thanks, Jer," I told him with a smile. "I'll miss you."

He gave me his famous laze smirk. "You won't get the chance."

Oh, brother! He was getting to be worse than Jason. I wondered just much worse he'd be when he was Jason's age. My brother was only a few years older than me, so that gave Jeremy a good seven years to catch up.

When I slid out of the pickup Jeremy was already walking up to Alcide.

"Alcide." Jeremy's greeting lacked the usual warmth.

"Jeremy." Alcide nodded curtly, his curly black hair falling over his face. He wasn't at all bad looking. Tall, ruggedly handsome, build like a mountain, but the attitude just spoilt all of it.

The same cold judgemental eyes I'd remembered assessing me previously were now resentful as well. "Miss Stackhouse."

My smile was the bright and easy; it was also fake. "Good morning, Mr Herveaux. And it's Sookie, please. I'm sorry about putting you out like this, but it is fair important that I go to Jackson as soon as possible."

He nodded, but didn't reply. Well screw him, Itried.

The Were hierarchy never interested me much, but I noticed that Jeremy was muted while we said our goodbyes and transferred my luggage over to the shinier vehicle. To say I was surprised by his obvious lack of flare would be an understatement. It made me wonder just how effective he would have been in persuading Alcide Herveaux to like me more.

That aside, I was genuinely sad to say goodbye to him. Jeremey had become a friend, and I'd miss him almost as much as my vampires.

The drive was strained.

One small bit of relief for me was the fact that I couldn't really read Alcide well. Sure I could pick up some thoughts; if they were directed at me, but not as clearly as with humans, and not if my shield was up. Thank heaven for small mercies.

After more than an hour of uncomfortable silence I cracked.

"So how did they rope you into this?" I asked. Eric had mentioned that Alcide owed him a favour. He hadn't said what though.

After eyeing me cautiously he said, "They have a marker of my dad's. They own the casino in Shreveport, you know?"

"Sure." I nodded. I'd interviewed every staff member working there.

"Dad likes to gamble. He got in too deep. If they call in, our company would go under." He glanced at me. "This trip would cancel it out... I have to admit though; I'm confused to why you're here."

From what I could tell, what he didn't understand is why they care to give up an obviously tasty treat.

"I'm helping them find something they misplaced."

"How accommodating of you." He sneered leaving me fuming.

I wasn't sure what caused my next outburst, but if I had to bet I'd say it was the combination of his prejudice, his obvious lack of respect for me, and his resentment of me like I was the cause for his changed schedule. I was, but not on purpose. His disrespect towards vampires didn't help at all, but then I couldn't really blame him on that front; vampires weren't overly fond of Weres either.

"How dare you assume anything about me! I'm not a fangbanger, or anything of the sort. I'm with them by choice. I am with them because I care for them, and they care for me."

"Sure they do, sweetheart, they probably brainwash you as well."

"Oh? At least that gives me a good enough excuse to be their lap dog doesn't it," I snarled. Good manners and all be damned, he was impossible.

"When the collar fits…"

My fingers dug into the fabric of my seat as I tried, but failed to contain myself. Shutting my eyes and focusing on calming down wasn't really working, but I still started to count to ten in the hopes it would help. I just couldn't believe his gall.

It was the screech of the tires that alerted me to the fact that something was wrong. We pulled over so fast that I didn't have a chance to be thankful for bulking up.

"What the fuck are you?" And for the first time he sounded almost afraid.

His face betrayed his anger and…fear. Well shit.

I'd forgotten something during the fight. A look at my hand confirmed it. I was glowing again. Not only was I a freak for reading minds, but now I had to worry about people being afraid that I was glowing.

My mouth curled in the corners. "A fangbanger."

"Fuck that shit. What are you?" But he flinched when I said the word. It was a start.

"None of your fucking business, Mr Herveaux. I believe you were asked to drive me to Jackson. So drive," I told him.

He gave me a long measuring look, no doubt trying to figure out how safe he was in the car with me.

"Oh, for crying out loud, I'm just glowing. It won't kill you, ok? Just drive me to Jackson if you will, please," I told him, exasperated. If I had to find my own way around when I got there that was just fine with me.

For a Were his obvious fear of a glowing "fangbanger" was irrational. He could kill me in second. Of course, he had no idea I had two very sharp, charmed knives in my boots. It was one of the reasons I'd worn these boots—easy access to my weapons—though I had serious doubts I'd be able to reach either of them before my neck was snapped. So much for being on the safe side.

We stopped at a gas station not long after that. I had calmed down enough that the glow faded into nothing again. It was becoming easier each time to keep things under control, though I sincerely hoped this would be the one and only thing that I'd have to keep under control—deep down I just knew it wouldn't, but I ignored that gut feeling like a stubborn man refusing glasses.

I silently went to use the bathroom, and Alcide just as silently let me go. The girl behind the counter had given him a welcoming smile, but he didn't seem to notice. She was pretty enough, if a little on the homely side, with dark brown hair and a little too much make up.

I almost felt sorry for her, almost. None of her thoughts had been complimentary towards me since she was under the impression the hunky man would have swept her off her feet in only I hadn't been with him. If only she knew the truth.

"So where are you from?" Alcide asked sometime after we left the petrol station.

Normal questions?

"Born and raised in Bon Temps," I told him. It didn't take me long to realise I shouldn't have lost my temper. It was seriously stupid all things considering. He was my one contact in a potentially lethal situation; I needed him. Simple.

"You from Shreveport or Jackson?" I asked trying to be friendly since he was.

"Shreveport, but we have business branch in Jackson." He paused. "My sister lives there too."

I smiled, remembering that I hadn't even called Jason to let him know what's going on. Not that Jason and I are ever in each others business, but I should call him. Who knew what was going to happen.

"Does this have anything to do with those Weres that attacked you?"

I hadn't thought about that. "Well, I'm not sure. I don't think so though. If it's any help at all, I haven't been attacked since then," I offered. He'd been very disgusted with need to protect me; probably why Jeremy wasn't one of Alcide's favourite people.

"I'm glad to hear it. What the heck are you going to Jackson for anyway?" Alcide asked. He seemed curious. I guess given the fact that he'd be the one "escorting" me around he deserved to know a little information.

"I'm looking for someone there. A vampire that's missing." I wasn't sure how much Eric had told him last night, and even less sure of how much I was allowed to tell him.

"They are sending a human to look for a vamp?" He asked, then thought better. I'd have laughed, but it wasn't all that funny. "Well, I guess you aren't exactly human. What the heck can you do to rescue a vamp though? You said it yourself; the glowing thing isn't much of use in any situation save when you need to see where you're going."

I had to smile. "Oh, I have other useful talents."

He gave me a look that had heat mixed in with curiosity and caution. "No doubt."

"In the interest of keeping peace I won't take that personally. You aren't the first to think of me that way. I am dating two vampires; something uncommon enough to warrant that reaction from just about anyone. But that wasn't what I meant."

"How did you know what I was thinking about?"

This was the moment where I had to think. I'd either trust him, or not. Seeing as he was my guide, my only security I didn't think I had much of a choice.

"I'm a telepath," I blurted out. There really wasn't a good way of telling people the truth about me.

Whatever he'd been expecting that was most certainly not it.

"So the rumours are true. Can you read my thoughts?" He asked.

I nodded. "Not all the time, but if they are accompanied with strong emotions, or thought about me..."

"What am I thinking about right now?"

I gave him a sidelong look. "You're thinking that I'm too pretty to be nuts and that vampires aren't good for me. Tell me something, do you think Weres would be better? Because, frankly, I don't see that much of a difference between the two."

"They're dead, that's the difference!" He sounded outraged I'd dared to compare him to a bloodsucker. Well, whoopee!

"And so they are, yet they walk, talk and fuck like the rest of the world. Fair enough, only at night. But they do not turn into animals once a month. They don't hunt down rabbits and eat them, and they don't all kill indiscriminately either, I've heard of rogue Weres. How are they better than any other killing insane supe? Just because vamps need blood doesn't make them bad, just different," I argued. Well, it was true, frankly after finding out a little about Underworld from Lexie vampires seemed to be almost fluffy and cuddly.

He drove quietly for a few minutes before answering. "They really did a number on you, didn't they."

It wasn't a question.

"Alcide, they can't glamour me." I said slowly.

He looked sceptical.

"Really, really. I'm not sure why, but they never could. Some genetic quirk or another made sure I was completely immune to them." That was the simple explanation. I was so not telling him the actual reason.

"So you're saying you love them anyway, knowing what kind of double crossing monsters they are?"

"Urgh!" I was starting to glow again. "You're impossible! Why don't we just agree to disagree on this, ok? Your job is to make sure I'm safe enough to do my job. Is it really that hard?"

His mouth twitched a little as he looked me over. I've been looked over that way enough in my time waitressing to know exactly what he was thinking without the need to pick his brain apart for it.

The tight caramel sweater I threw on that morning fit snugly and was cut low enough to display my cleavage and the dark blue jeans tucked into my boots were almost second skin. I knew I looked damn good and was proud of it.

"Nah. Not too hard at all," he said as he gave into that smile he'd been holding back on. "I think you and I will get along just fine."

I finally let myself grin. What I learned about Weres in the time I spent with my guards was that you never back down if you want them to take you seriously. Considering how often I butted heads with Kyle and Jeremy for practise, Alcide was easy target.

"So do you have a plan? We need to figure out a way to introduce me to the vampires in the area," I said after a few moments of companionable silence.

'Sure I do. There is a club in Jackson. It's owned by the bloodsuckers…" he started but after looking at me and rolling his eyes at my expression changed course. "I mean vampires. I usually drop in when I'm in town, so it won't look out of place if I brought a date this time."

"Won't your girlfriend mind?" I asked, not sure if the extra complication of a territorial Were was needed. I had enough problems to deal with.

His hands tightened on the wheel. "Ex-girlfriend. And no, she won't. She's with someone else now."

"Uhuh….sorry," I offered.

He shook his head. "It's fine. We broke up a couple of months ago."

He didn't look fine, but I didn't call him on it instead opting to ask more questions about the club and the required attire.

The rest of the trip went peacefully. I napped a bit, and before I knew it Alcide was shaking my shoulder as we pulled up to an undercover garage.

The building was an older one, and the once golden bricks were now a weathered brown. Alcide explained that the older apartments were bigger and there would be a ready guest room for me, so I could stay with him. I hoped my vampires were aware of the arrangements, because I sure as hell wouldn't want to face them in when they went all territorial on my ass. My dislike for their proprietary instinct aside they were truly intimidating when it came to protecting what was theirs.

The guard at the entrance barely glanced at Alcide's pass before letting us through making me question his usefulness. I'd do a better job of security and I was a girl.

When we got to the elevator Alcide punched in the fifth floor.

"There are four per floor," he told me. I must have looked curious.

"How are the neighbours?" I asked genuinely interested. Aside from living with Phedre and Gran before her, my only neighbour had been Bill. Now I was living with vampires on a piece of property larger than my own, there weren't any neighbours for a good long swim either way from us.

"Well, two state senators own 501, and I'm sure they've gone home for the holidays," he said. "Mrs Charles Osburg the Third lives in 502, with her nurse. Mrs Osburg was a grand old lady until about a year ago. I don't think she can move much anymore. 503 is empty right now, unless the realtor sold it in the past two weeks." He unlocked the door to 504 gesturing for me to go in before him. It looked like our little talk on the way here woke up the gentleman in him.

The apartment was neat and modern. The furnishings and décor was done in a scale of beige and looked like it could have been pictured in one of those interior decorating magazines I've seen at the shops. It was nice, though I couldn't say I'd enjoy living here for longer than a couple of nights.

Alcide showed me around and left me to unpack. Pam had packed my suitcase and I wasn't surprised to find a selection of nice dresses included among the jeans and t-shirts I snuck into the damned bag. Everything came with matching accessories and even a shawl in case I needed it. I would, it wasn't cold yet, but I bet any money I'd freeze my butt of tonight for the sake of vanity.

The realization that I was in Jackson to find my missing ex-boyfriend and possibly put myself in serious danger hit me then. It had been a real long while since I felt this uncertain. My adventures in Dallas had been different. It was only a few months ago, but somehow I hadn't been as scared of walking into the Fellowship church looking for a vampire I hadn't even met.

I felt braver then, more confident and all things considering incredibly naive and stupid for I thinking then I hadn't been alone. I thought Bill would come to my rescue, I shouldn't have trusted him that much.

What if Eric and Godric proved no different? What if this trip would reveal that neither of them cared for me if I was in trouble? Godric had said he loved me, Bill said the same words and then left me to fend for myself, to be rescued by Eric, to—

"You okay?" Alcide's voice interrupted my inner panic.

I nodded. I hadn't realised I'd sat on the bed.

"You're worried," he said coming into the room and sitting down right next to me.

Weres run hotter than humans. I could feel the heat coming off him and after being used to the coolness of vampires it was disconcerting, more so considering our current location.

"Sure, I'd be crazy not to be." It was true. I felt a little guilty about the fact that he'd assumed something else.

"It'll be alright. We'll find him and you won't even get a scratch on you."

I wish I was as confident about it all.

"Thanks. What time will we go to the club?" I offered him a weak smile.

He didn't look like he was buying the show. "Well, the vamps won't get there till ten, so I was thinking about dinner around eight if you're ok with that? We can go to the Mayflower Café. It's an old diner, but very popular, everyone goes there. I'm sure you'll love the food."

"That sounds fine." It was only four. I brought a few books, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to read them.

"Look, I have to go and see a client before we go out," he said as though asking my permission at the same time as trying to apologies for his job getting in the way of us spending the afternoon together.

I smiled at him cheerfully, all fake. "I'm sure I can entertain myself for a couple of hours."

"Well…if you wanted to….my sister has a salon down the road," he offered somewhat awkwardly.

Alcide being nice, that was new. "You sure she wouldn't mind pampering a fangbanger?"

His pushed a hand through his hair looking slightly flushed. "I'm sure she won't. She'd like you, and after all you're supposed to be my girlfriend. Besides, I think I might have been wrong assuming things."

I couldn't help but enjoy his discomfort.

"I'm sorry," he said gruffly turning an even darker shade of red.

The poor guy was really embarrassed. "It's fine, Alcide," I said offering him my hand. "Friends?"

"Friends." His goofy grin as he shook it was endearing, and I caught a regretful thought that if it wasn't for my being with the vamps he'd actually want to ask me out. For real. Well, well, well. His change of attitude didn't entirely displease me; after all I am a girl.

Janice Herveaux Phillips was exactly what I'd have expected of a sister of Alcide's. She was tall, attractive, plainspoken, and confident; and she ran her business efficiently.

While I hadn't spent much time in beauty salons before, Pam had started to drag me out for girl nights regularly enough that I'd become more comfortable with the idea. Before I just didn't have the luxury to spend money on things I could have easily done for myself. Now that I didn't have to worry about bills I'd come to enjoy the pampering of being massaged and buffed.

I hadn't planned to come down, but curiosity and my own restlessness didn't give me much of a choice.

"Well, we don't have time to do everything, but we can sure style your hair and re-paint those nails to match the dress," Janice said confidently.

I smiled. "That'll be nice. Thank you."

"Darling, no thanks is necessary, I'd have done more, but it's late. I'd do anything for the woman who helped my brother get over that bitch." She then proceeded to guide me to a chair. "Even if you break up with him tomorrow, just getting him through tonight would be enough for me to be grateful to you."

I looked at her, confused. "Tonight?"

"Didn't he tell you?" She looked at me, aggravated. "Well, of course he didn't. She's going to announce her engagement at the club they go to."

Well, fuck. "The one she dumped Alcide for?" I clarified.

"The very one. I just can't see what he has that my brother doesn't."

"No brains," I said before thinking my answer through.

Janice laughed. "You might be right there, I'm glad she did move on. Those two together just weren't good. Alcide's better off with someone like you."

I flushed red knowing full well just how hopeless her dream was. I wasn't interested, wasn't available, and I sure as hell didn't see her brother that way.

"Where you from, darling?" she asked with a smile.

"Bon Temps, just outside of Shreveport. But I live in Shreveport now," I told her. I didn't see any point in lying about that.

"Oh? You moved for work?"

"Yeah. I used to waitress in Bon Temps, but a job opportunity came up with better pay, so I took it. I'd have stayed in Bon Temps, but the commute was getting to me." And so were my two overprotective vampires.

She nodded in understanding. "What do you do now?"

"Consulting," I said trying to be vague, but realised from the expectant look on her face she wanted more information. "I help employers and employees make sure they are…right for each other."

She nodded, though from her thoughts I could tell she was still confused. She didn't ask more about it though.

We chatted for a while more, and she introduced me to her staff. The more time I spent in the salon being pampered and chatting to Janice every moment she could come over the more I hated the big lie. She was so nice and too happy for her brother. I could tell she really liked me. In an odd moment of weakness I wished she was my future sister-in-law. I would never have the chance to find out.

When I walked out of the salon almost two hours later and after a short argument with Janice over payment—she won and I felt guilty—I was looking and feeling like a supermodel. There is nothing like a trip to the salon to boost a girl's spirit.

I was in the process of putting on my dress when my phone rang. My heart leapt when I saw that it was Godric.

"Hello?" I was almost breathless.

"Good evening, ma petite. How was your trip to Jackson?" he asked and I felt a bit deflated that he skipped any lovey-dovey comments and got straight to business.

"It was okay," I said, resigned.

"I trust the Were wasn't problematic."

"No, we sorted out our difference. Where are you?"

Silence.

"Godric?"

"It isn't important. I wanted to make sure you are safe—" He made a frustrated sound. "As safe as you can be under the circumstance. You will be going to Josephine's tonight?"

A wished he was here, next to me, so I could gauge his mood better. Godric was hard enough to read when you talked to him in person, it was impossible over the phone to figure out what he was thinking. My earlier insecurities played on my mind.

"Yes, we're going out to eat first," I told him knowing exactly what reaction to expect. He didn't disappoint.

A rumble that resembled a growl came through the speaker. The over protectiveness that had made me feel so caged was soothing for once. I didn't dwell on that.

"He is taking you out for dinner?"

"I do need food to function." I pointed out gently, not wanting to upset him anymore. "Besides, we need to keep up the pretence of being on a date."

The silence that followed had me worried, while I had said it specifically to rile him up; I hadn't wanted to hurt him.

"Godric, you know I'm yours, right? You know that? I'm yours and Eric, I don't want anyone else in my life." Still silence. "I missed you last night," I whispered.

It took him a moment before he answered. "I missed you too, ma petite. Make sure to behave yourself, no matter the provocation you must not let anyone injure you. You might not smell of either Eric or me right now, but your blood will give you away. I'll be at the club. Don't react to my presence. I'm there as a safety net only… And Sookie, be careful."

Whatever he meant by that I had no idea, but somehow I got the impression that he wasn't talking about Bill or the vampires I was going to have to meet. I didn't get a chance to say anything else. He'd hung up on me.

It was irritating how months of me telling them that they should wait until after I said goodbye to hang up had absolutely no effect. And yet again I was struck by the fact that I enjoyed the irritation. I missed them already.

"Sookie, you ready?" Alcide called through the closed door.

I gave the phone one last glare. "Be right out," I called back and went about putting finishing touches to my outfit. If Godric was going to be there tonight I wanted to look good enough to eat. It was asking for trouble, but just then I didn't give a shit.

I also thought of how nice Janice had been to me today, she didn't once think a bad though and that made me feel even guiltier for deceiving her. I wasn't really dating her brother. That's not to say I wouldn't have been interested if I was single. Under the gruff exterior he was a nice guy. A type of guy I'd sure be interested in if I hadn't been attached to someone, two someones.

The least I could do is help him get through the evening. After all he wouldn't have been there if it wasn't for me. Having recently been on the receiving end of the ex-pain I had a new appreciation for what he was going to go through.

When I walked out of my room to find Alcide in the kitchen I expected some sort of a reaction, but the overflowing drink he'd continued to pour as he stared at me was more than I'd though I'd get. It was gratifying.

I did a slow turn to make sure he had a chance to take in the full effect of my wardrobe. Pam outdid herself with this dress. It was beautiful and I felt like a fairy princess in it.

The dress was midnight blue and figure hugging. The straps had decorative light blue jewels all over them that extended all the way under my bust accentuating it without making me looks slutty in the least. They spread out at the back in a cut out butterfly pattern showing off my golden tan and leaving most of my back bare. The rest was plain satin. The dress was one of many Pam had bought for me while on her vacation, and it was also one of Godric's favourites.

My bronze pumps, bag and shawl made the blue stand out more against my tan—I'd kept it up with regular visits to the video store tanning lounge in Bon Temps.

While my skin was nice and bronze, there was also a soft glow to it; I'd fiddled around with my shields while I was getting dressed to make it look healthy glowing, not light bulb glowing.

Thanks to Janice my hair fell down my back in gorgeous curls and my make was subtle, but striking. I'd never been much for lipstick so shadowed eyes and some lips gloss were all I was wearing.

My association with Pam and Lexie taught me a few things; the difference between classy and trashy was one of them.

Alcide cleared his throat, trying to find his voice. "Turn around again," he said raggedly. I grinned rolling my eyes, but obliged.

When I was facing him again he was scowling at me. My smile dropped. Had I done something wrong? Maybe overdid it a little?

"How the fuck am I going to keep you safe?" he asked shaking his head.

I was about to answer, but he held up his hand. I shut my mouth and waited.

"Sookie, you look mouth-watering. Those vampires are fucking lucky bastards," he growled. "Let's get dinner."

Right on cue my stomach made itself known and I laughed awkwardly, trying hard to ignore the sudden sexual tension between us.

Dinner was an interesting affair. The Mayflower Café wasn't impressive from the outside, but it was sure interesting inside. The clientele was varied, some were dressed to the nines, like Alcide and I. He'd worn a grey suit with a black shirt. Others just wore flannel and denim. Everyone seemed to be having a grand old time, and a lot of the clients knew Alcide coming over to say hello and see if they could find out who I was.

I had never been vain about my looks. Sure I like knowing I looked good, but having grown up in a town that mostly considered you a freak didn't exactly worked well for a girl's ego. Spending time in the company of supes helped. I learnt that some valued me for my ability instead of considering me daft.

Tonight was different. For once the only person who knew was my dinner partner, and given his own hairy secret he wasn't about to tattle. I enjoyed the relative anonymity my position had to offer. Most thought Alcide was a lucky son of a gun to have found me, then there were the other type of opinions. But given the fact that most were just jealous I didn't mind.

"You've been quiet. You didn't have a good time?" Alcide asked once I was safely deposited in the truck. It had taken some effort from both of us due to the tightness of my dress and the height of the seat. I felt awkward, but Alcide didn't mind one bit.

"It was lovely; I just didn't feel like talking too much. I didn't really know anyone." I told him honestly. "Besides it was interesting to listen."

He raised an eyebrow as the car peeled away from the sidewalk.

"You realise Jake O'Malley is planning to screw you six ways from Sunday," I said.

"Nooo." He looked shocked. I was glad he hadn't been driving fast or I'd be a Sookie sandwich when he pressed his break and the car lurched to a stop.

I nodded. "He's going to underbid you on your next job, because he's bribed one of the women in your office—Thoma-sina something?—to let him know what you all's bid is."

After an appreciative pause he asked, "Was there anything good?"

"Sure. Mrs O'Malley wants to screw you," I said lightly. I put the emphasis on the word so he'd realize I wasn't talking about the same kind of screwing as Mr O'Malley had in mind.

She was young, much younger than her husband and she looked like she spent all her free time grooming herself. Alcide looked disgusted. I sympathized.

We spent the rest of the drive making a plan. We needed a cover story, just in case. And Alcide asked me the details of what, who and why I was looking for. Now that he knew how I was looking he understood a little bit better the reasons why I was the one the vampires sent. When we stopped in front of the unwelcoming stretch of sidewalk I almost balked. Almost.

The creepy feeling that I wasn't welcomed passed over me, but dissipated quickly leaving me confused and looking for a reason as to why I'd feel like that part of sidewalk looked almost malevolent.

Alcide got out of the truck leaving it running. He came over to my side to help me out as well, a true gentleman.

"It feels strange," I told him.

"It's spelled so humans don't come here," he explained. "I'm guessing you're feeling the effects." He didn't seem to be affected at all.

I shrugged and put my arm through is like a dutiful date as he led me to the dark stainless steel door. There weren't any signs signalling it was a bar. There was nothing. Just a door.

Behind us the truck drove away at the same time as the grey door opened.

Alcide leaned close and whispered just before we walked inside. "Welcome to Club Dead."

* * *

_Now, I'm curious to see what will happen next, are you? Thoughts? I'd love to hear them! _

_xxx_


	8. Chapter 8

_Thank you guys for the reviews. I love hearing from you all! :)_

_Big hugs to MellyKen & despairsrai for keeping me on track. Luv you girls!_

_Disclaimer: characters aren't mine, just playing with them._

_

* * *

_

"...welcome to Club Dead."

I started chuckling, the nickname however wrong was funny, when the inner door was opened, by a goblin—that stopped me mid laugh. I tried not to gape. Really, I did. No luck there, instead I contorted my face into what I'd hope looked like a mostly bimbo impression of surprised. I couldn't tell if it worked, the goblin—really there wasn't any other name for him—didn't seem to notice my reaction at all.

I had no idea if he was a real goblin, or any intention of asking him to confirm my suspicion. I didn't even try to read his mind, who knew what I'd find in there. Nope, not risking it. I'd heard of goblins from Lexie, but to see one in the flesh was a shock.

"Mr Hervaux," he said in greeting. His voice was low, scratchy and menacing. Not what you'd think of when doorman came to mind. "It's been a while. Good to have you back. Your companion?"

"Miss Hale." Alcide introduced me. "Sookie, this is Mr Hob."

I tried for a semi-friendly smile, but even that seemed to falter under the glare of this small intimidating creature. Apparently goblins weren't as friendly as Easter bunnies. When he sniffed the air to take in my scent his expression changed to one of surprise and…respect?

"It is a pleasure to have you here, Miss Hale," he said, not a single bit of his earlier antagonism present. "I hope you have a good evening."

I walked past bewildered by what just happened, worried about what he'd managed to pick up in my scent that had changed his attitude towards me.

My mind didn't stay too long on the topic because as soon as we walked inside I got my first look at an all supe club, and Josephine's (aka Club Dead) didn't disappoint.

While the exterior had been low key, if not outright off putting, the interior was modern and with just the right kind of muted lights to make it feel comfortably intimate for people with better night vision. I proudly included myself in that category since mine had become several shades better lately.

The decor resembled the bar at the Silent Shore hotel in Dallas. Though this bar was themed in dark greens rather than the sand and blue hues of its Dallas counterpart.

The bar itself was in the middle of the space with a glass backlit display that housed numerous bottles of different alcohol. The glass was cylindrical in shape, as was the bar counter—I assumed that it extended all the way around. There were booths scattered around the walls and tables around the rest of the club. A small dancefloor was on the right side of the bar next to the DJ booth, it was empty.

Actually save for one party at the far end the bar and a few scattered couples it was empty, but I was willing to bet a good amount of money we weren't the last ones to arrive either.

"What's that all about?" I asked Alcide after having my fill of taking everything in.

"I have no idea, you smell just fine to me," he answered as we followed a waitress towards a table.

I double checked my shields when we got comfortable. They were holding, my skin was barely glowing, and I was fairly sure my scent was muted as well. I even asked Alcide to hug me and then sniff me before we left for dinner just to make sure I didn't smell of vampire. He had said that I didn't, he thought his scent on me was damn good change to the vamp stink. I didn't even bother explaining that to a vampire he stunk worse than garbage truck.

I did—like any other normal girl—check out the clothes other ladies were wearing. It seemed that the vampires and humans that accompanied them were dressed up similar to me, but the weres and shifters weren't nearly as formal. I had a brief moment of secret relief for getting the dress code right. Eric and Pam still teased me over the red dress I'd worn on my first visit to Fangtasia.

"Sookie?" Alcide asked with obvious humour.

I blushed, blinking a few times. It sounded that wasn't the first time he'd called my name. "Yeah?"

"What would you like to drink?" Right, that's what I was supposed to be doing, checking the menu for a beverage.

My blush became deeper as I noticed the vampire waitress lips curve. I scanned the list quickly. "A mojito, please."

Mojitos were one of my top three alcoholic drinks. The other two were gin and tonic, and champaign cocktail. I had decided to go through the cocktail list at Fangtasia, since I'd never had the chance to try the cocktails I'd made when I worked at Merlotte's.

Pam had been delighted by my interest, putting Chow in charge of mixing drinks for the master's human—he hated cocktails. I only had one every night I worked, and I worked only two nights a week. I wasn't done yet.

Pam had somehow managed to extend the list from one page to a whole freaking book. I was pretty sure some of those cocktails actually included True Blood in them—I never asked or looked at the ingredients—it was for the more...adventurous clientele.

Fangtasia's cocktail book was becoming well known thanks to our efforts. Chow didn't like me all that much, but he made a tasty mojito. I hoped the bartender here would live up to the same standard.

Alcide ordered a Heineken. Very manly.

We chatted for a bit while waiting for our drinks, when those arrived and I took a sip I decided to stop chasing tail.

"Is that her?" I asked Alcide.

"Yes," he said, not looking in the direction. Was he still hung up on the bitch? I just couldn't see why.

The "her" I had referred to was his ex. I'd spotted the party when we walked in, but didn't put two and two together until I'd felt Alcide grow tense next to me as he noticed them.

She wasn't bad looking: tall, athletic build, and short black hair. Her face was long and narrow, but for all the smiling she was doing I just felt the bitch vibe rolling off her.

It was the little things that gave her away, the way she seemed to be the centre of attention in her group—of course the party was to celebrate her engagement, but her obvious dominance wasn't because of that, it was natural. Her proprietary hold on the guy next to her—I assumed that was the fiancé. Her high pitched laugh that we could hear all the way across the club was irritating, and designed to carry this far, even if the music wasn't loud, and there weren't that many people around.

I also knew that she was dangerous, and not because she was a shifter. It was something else that screamed at my instincts. Something I should never had realised, something that shouldn't have been this obvious to me. And yet, I knew it like I knew my hair was blond and hers was a dark rich black.

Whatever enhancements Lexie and vamp blood had given me I realised I'd become much better at reading people without needing to probe their minds. I could pick up energy off them in some weird way. The new found realisation was unsettling.

I turned my attention to Alcide as I tried not to think of all the changes that were happening inside of me. He looked pissed off, hair falling down on his face in an unruly mess from the times he pulled his fingers through it since we'd entered the club. I was itching to fix it.

Catching Debbie's glare as she yet again glanced our way I decided to do just that.

"Sookie?" Alcide looked shocked by my behaviour.

"Aren't we on a date? I am attempting to act...date like," I said in a sultrier tone of voice than necessary with an appropriate look to match it.

It was the tone usually reserved for two very jealous vampires. I knew the reaction my current playing would get me from them; a very hasty exit, or at the very least a quickie in the office. From the heat in Alcide's eyes I gathered that my technique was not wasted when it came to more warm blooded males either.

I clicked my mojito against his beer bottle.

"To our joint venture," I said and his eyes lit up. We sipped our drinks in cordial silence, but I felt guilty for leading him on.

"What's your father like?" I asked, deciding that small talk would be better than no talk. The club wasn't full enough just yet for me to worry about not being able to mind-read and listen to Alcide at the same time. My telepathy had improved with practise, and it was almost too easy now to scan minds while holding a conversation. When you have a sexy vampire hell-bent on distracting you: you learn, or die of sexual combustion.

Alcide told me about his parents, I shared some of my life with him. The whole time Debbie shot daggers my way, probably because I continued the facade and was over flirty.

It must have been twenty minutes later when I excused myself to find the ladies room. Others have been trickling in slowly and the club was filling up now, so when I was done with my personal business I'd be scanning for a while.

I left Alcide chatting to a friend. A local Were whose name was Mathew, he was in his late forties with a full-blooded Were wife and lots of illegitimate children. He worked for Alcide, and they were talking shop. I wasn't sure how I felt about this kind of liberal lifestyle, but it wasn't me who had to live with the werewolf.

"What the fuck do you think your doing, bitch?" Debbie Pelt was in the mirror behind me.

"I'm on a date. I hear congratulations are in order," I said as I turned off the tap and reached for some paper to wipe my hands dry.

"Which agency did he hire you from?" She said. My cool composure had taken her aback, obviously she expected me to be intimidated by her fierceness, or something.

"An expensive one, Debbie," I said looking pointedly at her, her clothes, and he cheap highlights.

That's when I realised we were alone, my knives were back at Alcide's place and about the only knew trick I'd learnt so far was glowing. Yeah, that'd help me a bucket load.

Instead of panicking I improvised. It wasn't hard, years of hiding my true feelings and reducing the shock on my face from seeing something particularly disturbing had given me a hard skin.

"Listen, I'd love to chat, but I'm on a date," I said.

"Alcide doesn't date. He is—"

"Available to date anyone he wants to since you dumped his ass for feather boy," I finished for her. "Go back to you man, Debbie, and leave Alcide to me."

"I don't believe you," she said gritting the words between her teeth. "Tell me, how do you like his birthmark?"

I let my lips curl. "Bunnies are adorable."

Her hand came up to slap me almost too fast. She hadn't expected me to know the truth; I hadn't, she was a very clear broadcaster.

I caught her wrist inches away from my face, pushing her back against the brown tiles in a move that was both extremely fast and elegant—almost vampire like—she hadn't expected me to put my punching gloves on.

Alcide wasn't my man by any stretch of imagination. I didn't want him romantically, but after having gotten to know him better I considered him a friend, sort of. I didn't want him, but she didn't deserve him.

"Be careful who you pick fights with, Debbie. You won't win this one. You let him go long before I was in the picture. Go back to your fiancé and forget Alcide. He deserves better than a jealous bitch like you."

"You think you're better than me?" She asked.

"I think I'm out of your league, sweets," I said and walked out of the bathroom leaving a fuming fox behind.

By the time I got back to the table Alcide was worried. I got the impression he'd have barged into the ladies if I'd been gone much longer. Sweet of him, but finding out that you ex was psycho enough to accost your date while she was celebrating her engagement to another man—I was glad I made it back on time.

"Everything okay?" he asked. "I was going to send out a search party to look for you." Then he added in a whisper, "Did you find out anything?"

Of course, men never really wanted to know what happens in girl's bathrooms. Not unless it involved some serious skin and sexy lingerie.

I shook my head, touched by his obvious concern. "Nothing useful. Let's dance."

He gave me a sexy smile that should have made my heart flip, if my heart wasn't already taken. We went to boogie.

While singing was definitely not something I excel in I can dance. We hadn't been dancing all that long when the music changed from a fast beat to something slow and Alcide put his arms on my lower back pulling me closer to him.

I was flush against a hot Were before I had a chance to think, and he, at least, was enjoying himself. I may have started to as well, just a little. Alcide was a good dancer and with all the worries lately I was glad for a moment to enjoy myself.

A wave of rage, jealousy and anger hit me like an avalanche, and if it hadn't been for Alcide's arms around me I would have buckled under the flow of such strong emotions.

"Sookie?" Alcide asked.

I didn't have the strength to answer him as I struggled to keep myself upright.

My eyes found the source.

Godric was standing at the bar with his eyes burning holes in me. Black shirt, dark jeans and carefully styled hair. Under normal circumstances I'd be on him in a heartbeat, but he was so angry. It burned inside me. How could he be so angry? I loved _him_.

I was in so much trouble.

"What's he doing here?" Alcide must have figured out who I was looking at.

"I don't know," I told him while stepping back. "I'm a little thirsty though." Suddenly dancing wasn't appealing.

Alcide wasn't happy, but lead me back to another part of the bar and ordering me a coke before excusing himself to go to the bathroom.

I must have been there for only moments, but they felt like eternity as Godric's emotions bombarded me. I couldn't block the off. I tried, but it was useless. He was so angry, it scared me. Was it all directed at me? I didn't know, had no way of finding out.

Why was he here? Because of me? I had no answers here either. I'd known that when he had left last night to come here he'd be keeping an eye on me, but I didn't expect him to be here. I closed my eyes humiliated and angry, unsure of how I felt. Guilty when I remembered his admission. What did he expect I would do? I had to pretend I was with Alcide, act like I was, or we'd all be in big trouble.

There was a growing pain in my chest and the doubts from last night and today taunted me. What if he wouldn't love me anymore? What if he lied.

Whether I was too distracted by my frustration over Godric, or my altercation with Debbie earlier, but I didn't hear him approach. The only warning I had to clue me in that trouble was on its way was Godric's sudden change of mood. He went from frustrated, to worried, catapulting into blazing anger in mere seconds.

"Hey there, pretty lady. You seem all lonely here. Why don't you come and join us," the biker guy in front of me said.

He was tall and rough looking, wearing biker gear. I let my shields drop instantly to probe his mind.

I prayed to God that Godric would let me handle this alone, I wasn't sure what pretext he was here on, but I doubted the vamps would be happy to hear the truth.

"I'm fine here, thank you." I wasn't stupid enough to take the Were up on his offer.

He grabbed my arm pulling me out of my seat. "Don't be difficult, cupcake. We'll show you a good time."

The extra skin to skin contact made reading him a breeze. I hadn't realised that Godric's blood would increase my telepathy that much. Were's had always been harder for me to read. We hadn't had a chance to test it.

I could read him clear as bell, and he knew where Bill was. Not only did he know, he'd tortured Bill, drank his blood. I felt sick.

"I'll stay here," I told him pulling my hand out of his grasp and off the bar stool. The skin he touched felt dirty and I rubbed at it hoping it would help get rid of the images burnt into my brain.

He looked surprised that I managed to pull away, and pissed off by my refusal. I sure hoped Alcide would be back right soon, but apparently it wasn't my night, and he was still in the bathroom.

When the Were's hand reached out again I tried stepping out of the way, but he was faster and grabbed my shoulder dragging me towards him.

"Let go!" I yelled. There was no way of keeping this quiet now, people were staring at us. I just wanted him the hell away from me.

The fingers on my shoulder dug into my skin. There wasn't any time to think twice, I was in enough trouble already. I kneed him, he barely moved out of the way to avoid some serious damage, but he did let go of my shoulder.

"I said: I'm not interested," I told him firmly, stepping away again.

With an angry growl he launched himself at me. Mr Hobb, the goblin, appeared between us and the Were landed straight into him. Mr Hobb wasn't big, but he was apparently strong enough to hold my attacker back, and then some.

The relief I wasn't alone in this was tangible. I concentrated on breathing, in the midst of the struggle my shields had been almost neglected. They were holding, just. The glow was become more defined and I breathed to calm myself, trying hard not to panic more.

"There will be no fighting in this bar," Mr Hobb declared as he held the Were with no apparent effort. The Were began screaming and I watched with horror as his arms began to blister. The smell of burnt flesh hung heavy in the air after Mr Hobb "escorted" the biker out.

"Sookie, are you ok? I'm sorry I left you alone." Alcide's voice broke through my stupor as I watched the little goblin drag his victim out through a doorway.

Alcide looked worried and angry. I nodded my answer, still unable to speak. Both of us eyed the rest of the biker gang warily, since they didn't look too happy with what happened to their buddy.

"Miss, I apologize for the unpleasantness," a smooth Southern drawl interrupted the staring contest.

I turned around to find myself looking up at a pale aristocratic male face. The vampire wore a plain, expensive grey suit, black shirt and his hair was neatly styled. He was obviously in charge of something, but more obviously: he was older than dirt.

"It's fine. I'm okay. No harm done. I'm very sorry for the disturbance," I said, forcing myself to smile.

"You are not at fault," he told me. His attention drifted over to the gang of Weres. They were all standing closer to us than before. None of them looked happy, but I could tell they were all nervous as they watched the vampire next to me.

"You should leave now," the vamp told them. His Southern accent was thicker than I'd heard in years. Nobody spoke that way anymore, well nobody under seventy.

They didn't look inclined to follow his order, but he didn't look like someone you'd want to mess with Were strength or not. I was surprised that they obeyed. Were they working for him in some capacity? Was this the vampire responsible for Bill's torture?

"You're bleeding," he said, his eyes trained on my shoulder.

I looked down to see he was right. The Were's nails had scratched it and in my genetal panic I hadn't noticed. Oh, fuck.

I knew what I had to do, but doing that would mean he would taste Godric and Eric, not to mention the fact that I wasn't human. My eyes searched out Godric hoping for an answer something... His face was blank, inhuman. I felt nothing from him at all. It was almost like he shut down.

The taste of fear was sour as I swallowed and turned my head, offering the spilt blood to the vampire.

This was protocol if I was not claimed by a vampire. There was no way I'd blow our cover: I'd be dead.

I prayed and pleaded with everything in me that Godric would let it be, and that this vampire didn't notice vampire scents in my blood.

Godric didn't, he felt like stone. Dead. His eyes. Dead. His body. Immovable. But he followed every motion of the strange vampires tongue no doubt somewhere deep inside plotting his death. And I was afraid of him in that moment.

"You taste...unique," the vampire whispered as he finished. When he moved his head to look at me I saw knowledge there and my own death. "May I introduce myself, Russell Edgington."

The smile was predatory.

"Sookie Hale," I said in a shaky voice.

He recovered quickly. His attention shifted to Alcide. "I extend my apologies to your companion, Miss Hale. Alcide, I haven't seen you here for a while. Where did you manage to find such a feisty companion?"

It didn't look like Alcide was particularly keen on answering, but he had no choice. This was the king of Mississippi, even if he was the vampire kind, he was still more powerful than either one of us.

"I met her in Shreveport, we're dating." That's right, I was off limits for anything more than injury clean up.

"How very interesting," Russell said fangs flashing. He looked interested alright. "I would enjoy your company again tomorrow."

Alcide nodded and I bobbed my head awkwardly. How does one acknowledge royalty who is anonymous? Since I hadn't been killed I figured I did ok.

"We will be here," Alcide said, though he sounded like he'd rather be in Antarctica.

My heart was pounding a million miles a second while I waited for the king to go back to his seat. He knew I wasn't human, he knew I most certainly have had vampire blood. Did he know whose? Would Godric be ok? I wish I had the answers.

"Sookie, are you ok?" Alcide asked quietly when we were alone.

I shook my head. "I think I'm done for tonight," I said in a quaky voice looking up at him. "Can we go home now, please?"

"Sure."

He grabbed my bag and shawl before putting a protective arm around me and leading me out of the club.

I didn't dare to look back. I felt nothing. Whatever Godric was thinking about, feeling, I had no way of knowing, but I knew how I felt. Remorse, guilt and worry were on top of the list.

The truck was idling by the curb when we walked outside. The fresh cool night air made my skin tingle, making me shiver. Alcide wrapped me up in the shawl, but it didn't help much.

I think it was more the shock than my reaction to the temperature because I couldn't stop shaking even after the car's heaters were blasting hot air at me for several minutes.

Silence reigned on our drive back to Alcide's apartment. There was no way to miss his worry over the situation and my state of health, but I was in no position to reassure him. I knew I was in deeper trouble than I knew how to deal with.

What I didn't know is where my vampires stood after tonight, or where I stood with them. My head hurt, my heart ached. I was miserable.

"Did you find anything out?" Alcide asked.

"Yeah. Bill's at the vampire compound being tortured." My voice was hollow. I saw too much in the Were's mind when he touched me. I'd have settled for a location, but what I got. I shivered as the images came back to haunt me with the gruesome details of Bill's torture. They were probably still torturing him now.

Alcide swore under his breath.

"That's going to make things difficult."

"Godric has an in," I said, but realised that might not be true anymore. "He had an in...after Russell tasted my blood...I don't...I'm not sure if...I think he could taste Godric and Eric in it...I think he knows I'm not human..."

Alcide didn't answer straight away. "Are you sure? Maybe he just thought you're extra tasty?"

I jerked my head. "No. I know he tasted everything."

"Well, how about we call Eric and he can help figure out what to do now?"

I stared at the passing building outside the window. Would Eric help me now? Now that I'd possibly jeopardised his maker and gave my blood to another without his permission. After all sharing blood without permission of your vampire was a great taboo. Fuck. The buildings blurred as fresh tears pricked my eyes.

"Sookie, don't cry. We'll fix this. I'm sure everything will be just fine," Alcide said. But even I could hear the lie in his words. Nothing would be all right. Nothing would be the same ever again.

* * *

_A second a/n? Yes. _

_I'd like to remind everyone with pitchfolks, torches or rotten food that Godric is not perfect, he has issues like any other person, so please, trust me enough to see us through this. The plan for the rest of DH came to me last week, I know where I am going with all this :) It will be a happy ending, so no worries there. But without drama, challenges and some painful moments there would be no growth for our characters. I hope you trust me enough to see them through the bad times. _

_As always your feedback is appreciated. Just not the rotten food. LOL _

_xxx_


	9. Chapter 9

_I wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone for the reviews. I've been reading them, and answering questions when I could. RL is hectic, so I have very little time these days to write—time I spend writing chapters. I hope that's okay with y'all. :) _

_Huge hugs to MellyKen for checking this baby over for me...twice...yes, I ended up doing a re-write—which is why this chapter is later than usual. Well, that and because my muse was jetlagged, grumpy and a whole host of other things._

_xxx_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

_

It took us another five minutes to get to the apartment.

I let Alcide direct me to the elevator and load me on it. He rubbed my shoulders in something akin to a comforting gesture as we slowly ascended to the fourth flour. A part of me was grateful that he was trying, and another resented him for it. I wanted someone else to be here rubbing circles on my back, needed cool arms around me, not hot.

It felt like forever before we were inside the warm beige living room. Everything looked so foreign and my brain screamed at me that it wasn't my home. The comfortable clean lines of the apartment felt cold all of a sudden, sterile.

I was taking my shoes off as Alcide went to get something from the kitchen.

"Do you want something to drink?" he asked, trying for nonchalance (word of the day).

Alcide Herveaux was having difficulties with his growing affection for a certain telepath, who happened to be dating a couple of vamps; unavailable and uninterested didn't begin to cover that situation. It wasn't that he was putting any moves on me; he was a gentleman. More that he was thinking and feeling things he shouldn't be. I tried to block him out, but I was too shaken up to do that effectively.

I gave him a small smile that didn't reach my eyes. "No, thank you. I think I'm going to turn in for the night."

"Oh." He sounded deflated and sure enough he looked like a lost puppy when he surfaced from his search holding a bottle of water.

There was a look of something familiar on his face that I didn't want to see there tonight, or at all. He opened his mouth, closed it, and looked at me carefully.

"Good night," he said instead of whatever he had planned.

"Night." Glad I didn't have to deal with more man trouble I made a hasty retreat to my temporary bedroom.

The room was hidden in shadows when I walked in. I held my shoes in one hand as the other flitted over the left wall to find the light switch. The light went on at the same time as I pushed to door closed. I leaned into the wood, breathed in deeply, trying to stave off the flood just a little while longer; the bed was just there.

Hands pulled me back into a strong hold as I smelled alcohol and Were. Wanting to scream I found I couldn't utter a sound. A knife pushed at my throat just as I filled my lungs with enough air to wake the dead. Adrenaline shot through me as my brain tried to catch up.

"Don't you dare, bitch. I'll slit it before you even get a chance to whimper," the ragged voice whispered into my ear low enough that Alcide wouldn't have heard.

I recognised the drawl. I'd heard it earlier tonight. My brain helpfully supplied the unshaven face, seedy eyes and matted hair that went with it.

Panic, my heart beat against my ribs. The hand around them tightened in a painful hold as the blade at my throat pushed against my skin cutting into the soft skin. My apathy fled. I wasn't ready to die.

"You know they will pay me a lot of money for delivering you. I was going to get you at the club alive, but you pissed me off. They never said you needed to be breathing, just that they wanted you." The knife slid lower, between my breasts.

I bit my lip as it cut through the material of my dress and into skin. If Alcide barged in now I'd have a knife in my chest faster then I could say "help". Felling the wetness that indicated I was bleeding for sure, I felt fear, adrenaline and anger.

"But the best part is killing you here, with Alcide next door. They'll think it was his doing. You don't fuck with me and get away with it." I could hear the satisfaction in his voice, the pleasure he was getting from all this. He was half turned on by the thought of gutting me!

"No," I whispered as the knife was barely inches away from cutting into my belly button. Anger finally kicked me into action. It pushed me past the pain I felt from the cuts, through the uncertainty, past everything and into a fighting calm.

"Get off me!" I hissed as I head butted him, not caring about the knife. I had to get away.

The impact hurt like a bitch, but I succeeded, his hold on my ribs was broken, the knife disappeared as he staggered back. I didn't think about it, I threw myself onto the bed landing across it, and near enough to the pillows. My hand slid under it, feeling for the cool warmth of the metal. I heard movement behind me, but it was too late. I had the dagger in my hand; in the next instance I threw.

"Sookie!" Alcide yelled as he barged into my room. He must have finally heard something. He skidded to a stop with a look of horror on his face.

Both of us watched in morbid fascination as the Were that harassed me in Club Dead only an hour earlier slid down to the floor with my dagger sticking out of his head.

"What happened?" Alcide asked as he took everything in. He almost flew to me when he saw I had blood on my dress. "What did he do? Sookie, do you need a hospital?"

I shook my head. Now that immediate danger had passed I felt the pain return. It burnt down my front. I was too scared to look, but I sure didn't want to go to a hospital and try explaining how I got a knife cut like this.

"What do you need? Do you want me to call someone? I have a first aid kit in the truck—no, I think I have something upstairs—fuck, Sookie, are you okay? Talk to me!" He was panicking. If it wasn't for the pain I'd have thought he looked amusing with the wild eyed expression and hair all over the place. I might have also taken a chance to appreciate the fact that he'd had a chance to change and was now half naked.

"Get my phone," I whispered. There was no way I would heal without stiches, or some help. I hoped help was still an option.

He paused, unsure. "Maybe—"

"Alcide, you want to help? Then get me the fucking phone _now!_" I yelled.

He scrambled to get to the bag I dropped near to the door and the now very dead Were. He was on his way back to give it to me when we both heard a thundering voice outside the window.

"Let me in!" Oh God! Eric.

The words rang like a saving bell in my ears and I knew I'd be ok, somehow.

Alcide wasn't of the same opinion, unsure—I was having seconds thoughts about Eric's judgement when it came to my security detail here in Jackson. The blinds were down and Alcide couldn't see outside. Neither could I, but he didn't have my extra senses to know who it was, but surely he'd be able to recognise Eric's voice...

"Herveaux, if you don't let me in I will tear down this building brick by fucking brick. Open it!" Eric Northman, my very much pissed off lover ordered again. I hoped he was pissed off because someone hurt me, and not at me.

Alcide went to open the window, not like Eric had given him much of a choice. He didn't look happy about it. I couldn't give a shit at the moment what made Alcide Herveaux happy. The sheets around me were turning a ruddy red colour and my thoughts were getting hazier. I wasn't sure how long I'd last before losing consciousness.

Hazy or not, my thoughts about my host were not charitable. If Gran knew, I was sure she'd scold me, but then again she was never lying on a bed bleeding when the host hesitated to invite her boyfriend and healer inside to help her. I was sure she'd forgive me just this once. Getting slashed down your front by an insane Were wasn't covered in the Southern rule book for good manners.

When the blinds went up I saw Eric, but more importantly he saw me. There was a moment—maybe longer—when I was sure we both felt a burst of emotion. I couldn't really tell you what it was; maybe it was just my head making things up. The pain was excruciating. I was burning, my head was hurting and breathing was getting hard. He did not look happy, at all. Pissed off was what he looked like. Yet, there was something else in that moment. Relief? Love? Comfort?

I was starting to see two Erics.

"Invite me in," Eric ordered as soon as the window slid up.

"Come in," Alcide said, though he was far from pleased about inviting him into his apartment. I didn't have time for all this testosterone posturing.

Eric slid through the window as soon as the whole was big enough to fit a Viking, and was next to me in a heartbeat.

"What the fuck happened? I did not realise I was asking too much from you, _wolf_, when I specifically requested that she does not get hurt!" Eric's accent was more pronounced and his words angry, yet his fingers on me were gentle. I whimpered when he moved the fabric aside to get a better look at the wound.

I hadn't seen it yet, but Eric's hiss made me look. It was bad. Worse than I originally thought it would be, though the pain I felt after the initial shock started wearing off kind of clued me in to the fact that it wasn't just a small scratch.

The cut was deep, not bone deep, but deep enough that I seemed to be losing a lot of blood. Fast.

"Fuck. Go get towels and a first aid kit, you moron, and True Blood. There was a convenience store down the road," Eric said never looking away from me. "Lover, I wish I could make this more pleasant, but we need to close these as quickly as possible." He stroked my face gently and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. "If I could, I'd glamour you to not feel the pain..."

I gritted my teeth trying to keep myself focused on Eric. He was the best thing in the world right now. He was here. Everything would be fine. I would be fine. He'd fix me up.

"Just make it stop," I begged. "Please, make the pain go away." Something about Eric's presence made it okay for me to let go and acknowledge the pain and fear that's been building up in me all night. The room started spinning and loosing focus as I began to hyperventilate. The movements made the blood ooze faster and the pain unbearable.

A desperate look flickered over his face before determination took over. With a nod to himself, he moved the dress all the way off my torso, exposing me to the elements, and got to work licking my cut.

Vampire's saliva can help a wound heal faster thanks to some weird properties that are part of their biological make up. It was another reason I couldn't argue with Russel earlier; if I had, he'd just tell me it'll heal quicker. Argument lost. It would also have been very rude to refuse him blood, like possibly life threatening rude. Vampires took to being denied what's due them very seriously.

Eric worked fast, but I was still in a lot of pain.

There wasn't much finesse involved in his movements; each of them was quick and efficient. He was trying to stem the bleeding as much as possible. There was no sensuality that I'd come to expect from him, just determination. I was hurting too much not to appreciate that. His arms were pressed on both sides of my ribs, under my breasts, as he pushed the skin closer together so it could have a chance to heal easier.

Eric was almost done licking the wound a second time when Alcide walked back into the room. I hadn't noticed him leave earlier probably because I was too busy freaking out about killing the Were and bleeding all over the sheets. Maybe it was the pain?

Alcide turned red. I opened my mouth to explain, but then remembered that I was naked and bloody in a bed with a vampire licking me. My own skin turned a nice shade of pink, probably not helping Eric's efforts any.

Alcide coughed to get Eric's attention. Eric hadn't looked up from his work when the Were returned—a first, he was usually very aware of his surroundings.

"I have a first aid kit. There should be large bandages inside. And True Blood. Do you need help bandaging her up?" Alcide asked looking anywhere but at us.

I wanted to ask how exactly he was going to help if he couldn't even look at us, but let it go, we were both embarrassed enough.

"Put it all on the bed and leave us," Eric ordered as he finally looked up at the Were. It wasn't a friendly look either. He pulled the remnants of the dress over my breasts enough to give me some pretence at decency. I appreciated that.

Part of me was thinking that Eric was being rude to his host— the Southern part. The other part of me was cheering him on. Even in this much pain I was starting to get righteously angry at Alcide myself. How the fuck did he miss the scent of a strange Were when we got to his apartment?

Alcide was no telepath, but he got the message Eric was trying to send: you are one screwed puppy. So after leaving the bags on the bed like ordered, he left.

"I'm going to put bandages on the cuts, then give you my blood," Eric said while he went through the first-aid kit. "The cuts should heal quickly enough after that. Then you can tell me what happened at the club and who the fuck is that." He gave a pointed look at the dead body lying next the bed.

I nodded my throat tight as he quickly covered the cut with bandages. Now that the pain was more tolerable I remembered to be afraid. He was pissed at me.

"Lover." The nickname sounded more like a question, but I couldn't see his face to confirm. I was too scared to look up. "What's wrong? You are scared. Did you get damaged elsewhere?" He looked down my body. Oh, he thought...

My eyes filled with tears. "No, he didn't...You're angry with me," I told him in a small voice. My head was fuzzy from the blood loss and my ribs hurt with every breath.

His fingers held my chin as he moved my face up. I didn't meet his eyes.

"Look at me," he said gently.

Scared, but unable to help myself, I did. He looked...worried.

"I am not angry with you. I am frustrated and angry that you had to kill in order to defend yourself. I am pissed off that Alcide didn't do his job. And I am curious why Godric was almost in a blind rage earlier this evening, but I am not angry with you." He accentuated each and every word. I tried to believe him.

"I was injured at the club and let Russel lick the cuts," I blurted out in between sobs. As my body shuddered I began to bleed again. The bandages slowly changed colour as blood saturated them.

Eric froze. It was like staring into a mirror. Déjà vu. The resemblance was uncanny: a mirror of Godric earlier this evening, I couldn't handle the same rejection. My sobs grew louder and tried to break his hold on my face.

"I didn't have a choice," I wailed. Hoping he'd understand, after all Eric was always the pragmatic one.

"That would explain Godric's anger then. He is possessive of you, and of me," Eric said, but his words in no way helped me understand what he was feeling.

"Are you mad at me now? Because I can't tell with your vampire face." Even to me it sounded needy.

"No, lover. Not at you. You did what you had to do. I am proud of you for that, and for your kill." He kissed my head whilst his fingers stroked my face. "Very proud. Now, let's get you healed." The heavy weight I'd felt since leaving Godric at Club Dead lifted. My guilt was gone. I knew Eric meant it.

I think the quiet laughter I heard when he manoeuvred me carefully down the bed so he could get behind me was that of amusement, but it could have been his response to my grumbling about yet another ruined outfit—I couldn't help feeling disheartened over the ruined dress. I didn't question it, too relieved that he was still here after I'd told him the truth.

"I'm sorry we aren't doing this in more pleasant circumstance, lover." His lips kissed my pulse point before I heard him bite his wrist. Brining the bleeding wound to my mouth he ordered, "Drink." I did.

Eric and I seemed to always end up sharing blood in emergency situations. Last time it was a restaurant parking lot after a shooting and I wondered if we'd ever get a chance to spend all night in bed after an exchange like we had when I drank Godric's blood.

Eric's blood wasn't as old and potent as Godric's, but it was still sweet, purely Eric.

With the first pull he groaned behind me and pulled me closer. I could feel him hard against my back, trying to find friction with parts of him that were very ready for more than we had time to do. Eric enjoyed being bitten. I sucked again, this time feeling the effects myself. His blood was a shot of bliss rushing through my system.

The long cut was starting to itch, a sure sign it was healing, but that wasn't what had me going. I was just as horny as Eric. The sudden onslaught of Eric's emotions—most of which a large doze of lust—had my own body moving to the same beat as his while I drank more of his blood. By the time Eric's wrist healed I was ready to jump him, dead body in the room and all else became secondary to that desire.

"You need more," he growled as I tried to turn myself around.

"But—"

"Lover, I want nothing more than to fuck you, bite you and rub myself all over you right now. But you are not healed, we have a dead body to dispose off, and a stinking Were listening to every sound coming from this room." The kiss he gave me then told me he just how much he wanted to do all of those things. A whimper escaped me when he pulled away too soon. "Your pleasure is reserved for Godric and me alone." Well, when put that way...

I turned around just enough to look at his face and had to smile despite the pain the action caused.

"I love it when you talk dirty." I kissed his cheek, thankful that one of us had the presence of mind and restraint not to go along with what our bodies wanted. Frankly the idea of sex in a room with a corpse disturbed me, but that voice was drowned out by my body's reactions. Apparently I had little control over my impulses with vamp blood screwing up the system. Usually there was no need for control.

When he gave me a bleeding wrist the second time I made sure to sit closer, and moved in sync to his movements. The latter weren't entirely premeditated, all of me was burning for more contact, touch...anything.

His other hand reached into my panties as he rubbed faster against me. Then his fingers slid into me. Pleasure rippled through me as he began to move them making it hard to concentrate on drinking, or anything really.

It didn't take much, only a few careful movements of his fingers inside me, a flick of his thumb...and we were both flying.

I was sure glad that Eric hadn't been able to completely restrain himself after all. The orgasm washed away the remnants of the pain as we lay there calmer and much more relieved.

"You need to shower," Eric said when we came down from our mutual high.

I elbowed him. "You're such a romantic."

"I can be very romantic, lover, but we do need to take care of our problems before sunrise," he said in a voice that was all too reasonable after what just happened. But I was positive he was wearing a smirk on his face. The mood I felt from him was a mixture of satisfaction, flickers of lust and amusement. There was also warm affection mixed in.

There would be no mistaking those feeling for anyone but Eric's. I'd been worried about getting mixed up between my own, Eric's and Godric's, but I shouldn't have been. I could taste the difference like it was something tangible, knew exactly what was Eric's and what was my own.

"You are too pragmatic for your own good," I said stretching experimentally.

He chuckled as I wiggled against him feeling parts of him taking an interest in my movements.

My wound was healed under the bandages, but even with Eric licking off the blood before I was sure it was still bloody. In any case the rest of me felt dirty. Now that I wasn't in immediate danger of dying from severe blood loss, the high from our blood exchange finally let my brain functions return to normal, and I felt safe with Eric being here, I knew that there was only a little bit more left in me before I'd collapse from exhaustion.

For the first time since the attack I noticed our surroundings: the blood soaked sheets under us, the dead body next to the bed and my own state.

That sobered me right up.

The reminder of what happened earlier sent me straight out of Eric's arms. He may not give a shit, but I couldn't help feeling dirty all of a sudden. Damn vampire blood!

Whilst the pain was gone, my muscles still protested against the sudden larger movements. I ignored it whilst searching for clean clothes. Ignoring the body on the floor was a little harder.

Eric wasn't looking any better than me. The light blue shirt he was wearing earlier was covered in blood and so were his jeans. Eric didn't seem to notice any of it as he watched me putter around with a look of concern.

Covering myself up in a towel as I got out of the tattered and stained remains of my earlier outfit I handed my ruined clothes to Eric for disposing while I showered.

Eric gave me a look that clearly said he wasn't domestic services. I ignored it, just as I ignored Alcide, who had been in the living room when we came out. I closed the door to the bathroom behind me suddenly feeling like I needed space.

I'll deal with everything else once I was clean, but just then I needed a few moments to myself.

My shower was probably longer than was needed given the time constraints of sunrise, but I didn't care. I scrubbed myself raw trying to eliminate any trace of my would be killer. The rational part of me knew that I was clean after the first three times I washed my hair and the two lathers of my body, but I kept scrubbing anyway.

"Are you okay?" Eric asked through the door when I finally turned off the shower. I had felt his growing concern for the last ten minutes.

That reminded me that I'd be in for more surprised soon, after all I glowed after drinking from Godric, and even if Eric was younger I'd just had a heck of a lot more blood from him than I ever ingested from his maker. Younger or not Eric was still ancient.

I closed my eyes, breathing deeply. No, I wasn't close to okay. "Yeah, I'll be right out."

When I finally emerged they were both watching me. It was irritating.

"I made you tea," Alcide said and indeed there was a steaming cup of liquid on the coffee table next to the three empty bottles of True Blood.

I sat down on the couch next to Eric. "Thanks."

"Alcide filled me in on the details." I could tell that wasn't the only thing that they'd talked about. "I contacted Godric, he is at the compound. He was...concerned about you, Sookie, but I assured him that everything was alright." Eric didn't look particularly convinced that Godric bought the assurances, but I knew he didn't want to get into that right now. Alcide didn't need to know about our personal business.

If Eric felt me from where he was, Godric must have too. I may have inadvertently put him in danger...

"He is fine. I called just in time," Eric assured me. "Russell invited you back, so you will have to go back tomorrow. I'm hoping that Godric will let me know what's happening at the compound by then, and we can get Bill out and go home before you are exposed to anymore danger." Eric spared a moment to give Alcide a glare. The Were looked a little embarrassed. Good.

"That's fine." I had assumed we'd be going back regardless of my newly found information, or the attack. "But is he really alright?"

Eric frowned. "Who?"

"Godric."

"You can't feel him?" He asked.

I shook my head. "Not now," I said. "I felt him at the club, before he went all cold."

"Cold?"

Explaining how I felt others—thoughts and now feelings as well—wasn't something I was used to doing; most people avoided talking about my ability all together. I noticed Alcide wasn't comfortable with the turn of the conversation. He may have liked me, but he was still as uncomfortable with my abilities as any ordinary human. Eric just looked curious.

"Well, it felt like he stopped feeling, like he was a statue instead of a living person." Alcide nearly choked on his beer when I referred to Godric as living. I gave him a glare as I continued, "It's the same during the day; I can't feel you apart from the blankness of your mind."

"You can locate vampires during the day?" Eric confirmed. That's the part of my explanation he chose to focus on? I could practically see the wheels turning in his head at the possible use of this information.

"I can," I confirmed. After a moment of reading my face, he nodded. We were on the same wavelength: this wasn't the time for that conversation, and he knew that I wasn't happy with what he was thinking about. I wasn't about to be his vampire compass unless it was really necessary. I doubted he'd actually try and use me that way, but Eric was all about utilising all the advantages. I loved him because of his devious mind. It intrigued me, almost as much as it frustrated me.

"So you have felt me before tonight?" Eric asked.

"Sure, when you were close, or during special times." I blushed. My attention moved to the tea.

"I'm sure your gift can be honed to feel us over greater distances in the future, Sookie. In the meantime you need some rest," Eric said. He gave me an intent look that said a lot of things he didn't wish to say out loud.

"What are we going to do with the body?" Alcide asked. He was all sorts of worried about me.

"I will dispose of the body when I leave," Eric said without any reaction what so ever that the topic changed to dead people. Of course, Eric himself was not really alive, but the offhand way he was talking about it chilled me a little. I was nowhere near close to the break down I'd had when I was attacked in the woods between Shreveport and Bon Temps, but I was not completely unaffected.

Taking a sip of my tea to cover up my discomfort I said, "Will you come to the club as well?"

Having him there would make me feel better. If anything else happened to me Eric would be my best chance to get out of trouble and help me make sure Godric didn't go on a murder spree to protect me.

"It might be dangerous since the king will be there," Alcide pointed out.

Eric gave him a hard look and simply said, "I will be there." Something told me Eric didn't want a repeat of tonight even if it meant that he'd be putting himself in harms way. I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

"How did you miss the scent, Alcide?" I asked. The question had been nagging me the whole time I was in the shower.

He looked down at the carpet. "I was distracted."

"What the hell had you so distracted that you missed a foreign scent in your own apartment...Oh!" It was my turn to look down. Talking about his blooming feelings for me while I was cuddling with Eric was just plain awkward and embarrassing, not to mention frustrating. He missed an intruder because he was thinking dirty thoughts about me? Sheesh.

"Enough of this, we are wasting time," Eric said getting up.

Scrambling up off the couch I grabbed his arm. "You'll come back?"

"If you would like me to," he said looking down at me. I felt warmth wrap me up in a security blanket. There was no way to mistake how he felt about my asking him to return. I could feel him, just like I felt Godric. Another way we were bound together, another reason for them to stick around. Another part of me accepted that fact and the wall crumbled a little more.

I nodded.

He bent down to give me a quick kiss and said, "Then I'll be back soon, lover." With a last "look" at Alcide that I didn't want to decipher he left.

Alcide watched the exchange with a mixture of feelings on his face. He helped Eric get the body out of the window as I watched with my arms wrapped around my ribs like that would somehow protect me from what had already happened.

"He really does care, doesn't he," Alcide said after closing the window.

Looking at him now I suddenly understood that before tonight he hadn't realised vampires could care, he hadn't really believed me when I told him. And maybe to some extent I hadn't either. "Yeah, he really does."

"Godric too. I saw the look on his face when he watched us dancing at the club," he said.

Confused, I said, "He didn't have a look."

Alcide laughed. The sound was slightly hollow, a little amused, but mostly disappointed. "Yeah. That's what a man looks like when he's in love. Trust me on this."

I frowned. "Alcide, he was pissed. I know that much."

Shaking his head he went to get himself another beer. "Sookie, he wasn't just pissed, I think he was about to kill anything that moved, but it had nothing to do with you. Well...no, it did." He looked at me with his warm chocolate eyes. "He was pissed that he couldn't be the one to protect you."

There wasn't much I could have said to that, so I changed topics.

"Debbie cornered me in the bathroom," I blurted out.

Alcide frowned as he walked back to me, all humour lost. Way to change the subject, Sookie, but I couldn't think of anything else that would get us off the topic of my relationships.

"Did she—"

"No, she was just being nasty," I assured him—knowing what he was going to ask before he had a chance to do so—and with a little more encouragement ended up telling him the whole story. He didn't look surprised at all which had me wondering a few things about their previous relationship and Alcide in general. If he'd known about her violent tendencies all along, what the heck had he been doing with her?

"But she didn't hurt you," he said when I was done talking.

"If anything I hurt her," I told him. Well, I did shove her pretty hard.

He sat back rubbing both hands over his face. His size made the couch look tiny. It wasn't, I could have easily slept on the thing. Surprise was written all over his face. "You hurt her?"

I smiled a tight smile. "Maybe. I'm not sure. I hope you don't mind, but she was going to hit me. And she was very rude."

Pulling a hand through his hair he said, "Sookie, I'm just glad you're not angry with me for that too."

I raised an eyebrow. "What else should I be angry about?"

"Well, the whole night went south, mostly thanks to me," he answered looking dejectedly at the floor.

I moved to sit next to him. "Alcide, you didn't do anything wrong." He grunted, not looking convinced at all. "You didn't. Well, apart from not smelling the Were, but it's been a long day! And I'm as much to blame as you are."

With a sceptical look he asked, "How do you see that?"

"If I wasn't distracted, I'd have sensed him. It was stupid not to scan the apartment."

"Oh."

Yeah. It had been a mistake on both our parts.

It took us the better part of an hour to wash and disinfect the floor.

I kept seeing blood.

"Sookie, enough!" Alcide said gently pulling the mop out of my hands. I was on my fourth round of mopping.

"But—"

He put a hand on my shoulder and said, "It's clean. So unless you want to make a hole in the wood, it won't be getting any cleaner."

I scowled at him. "I just want to make sure I got all of it."

"I'm a Were, I'd smell it if you missed a spot," he pointed out. "Besides, if you don't believe me ask Eric."

"Ask me what?" Eric said. I turned around to see my vampire floating outside the window for the second time tonight. He was watching us argue with amusement.

"Ask you if there is any blood left, she's mopping a hole in my floorboards," Alcide said, mockingly pointing at the spot I've been wiping for the last hour.

This time I opened the window and watched Eric's gracefully slide into the room sniffing the air. "There is no smell of blood present."

"See."

I glared at both of them. "Fine." Grabbing the mop back from Alcide I went into the living room to put the cleaning stuff away.

Alcide passed by me as walked back. "Good night," he said and before I could answer closed the door to his bedroom. I think Eric made him uncomfortable.

"Come, lover, you need rest. It's getting late." Eric was already on the bed, in his jeans.

My mood lifted at seeing him there, I missed snuggling last night.

"I'm glad you came back," I said smiling at him the first genuine smile of the night.

"I said I would," he said with surprise. He was watching me change into my pj's with undisguised interest. His face falling more and more with each article of clothing I put on, since it was cold, I put on a few. "Such a pity we are not alone tonight. I don't enjoy your delicious body covered in so many clothes."

I giggled. "Well, buddy, I ain't taking it off just so you could enjoy it. We aren't home."

His sigh was dramatic, as was his act of distress.

"Scoot," I said pulling up the covers. He obliged.

Snuggling up to his cool body was the highlight of my nightmarish day. I finally closed my eyes when his arms wrapped around me, contentment filling me; mine and his.

Lips pressed a soft kiss on my hair. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," I whispered and after a moment added, "I miss Godric."

Eric's arm squeezed me gently. "Yes, I miss Godric as well."

Exhaustion pulled me into sleep before I could say anything else, but I heard him whispering something to me, something that was in a language I didn't understand. Or maybe could hear through the fog of sleepiness.


	10. Chapter 10

_So, I'm sure you all gave up on me and this story. I'm sorry it took me such a looong time to get this update to you. _

_I am had seriously bad bad writers block. Yes, bad bad, not just bad. I've had more time, more relaxed atmosphere, but not a single interesting bit of storyline. Do you realize how frustrating that is? It's hell I tell ya! Especially when I am the one who wants to know where things are going just as much as you do. Sure I know the overall picture (that includes the next two installments btw). But the middle, smaller details that fill up the chapters….I am as clueless until I write them as everyone else. I just get to read them before you guys, and make lots of corrections so you can read a passably interesting story._

_Let me assure you that even if I do go through another phase like this I will not leave you hanging forever (although the months I haven't publish anything may have felt that way). The stories will be finished. ALL OF THEM! It's just going to take me sometime, since my current living arrangements are not exactly great for my muse I hope you will forgive me if my updates are slower, hopefully not as slow as this one though. _

_You have no idea how much all you support and reviews have helped me try and find some inspiration. So thank you to everyone who has left me some review love, without it I'm sure it would have taken me even longer to get myself inspired. Just in case you are wondering the next chapter has been started already, so I am very hopeful that I will be able to get it to you guys in the next couple of weeks._

_xxx_

_ps All mistakes are mine and I am truly sorry if there are some glaring errors. Feel free to pm me if there is something you find that is absolutely hideous. :D_

_Now a little recap:_

_Sookie is still in Jackson (Gods how much I've come to hate the place ever since my stupid writers block). She is staying with Alcide, Godric is under cover at the mansion with Russel and deliciously gay Talbot. He was also pissed when Sooks left the club. She assumes he was pissed at her. She gets attacked by the Were biker and kills him, Eric gives her blood after healing her wound. They get hot and heavy (see previous chapter for details)._

_SO enough with the blah blah on with the story…._

_Oh! One more thing: Characters aren't mine….I do not own much….I also make no money what so ever from this…._

* * *

The bed was empty when I woke up. It took my brain a moment to register that it wasn't my bed, and that Eric couldn't have stayed in it with me. The thought woke me up from the remaining sleep fogginess and I stared at the light streaming through the curtains like it was my worst enemy. Vampires weren't light friendly. I used to be, but in the last few months I've come to resent the one thing I used to love since it meant I couldn't enjoy the time with Eric and Godric. As much as I loved summer and tanning for once I wasn't in any hurry for winter to be over.

Alcide left a note in the kitchen. He went out to do some errands and didn't want to wake me up since I was still recovering from last night.

Truth be told there wasn't any recovering to be made; I felt better than ever. Vampire blood does that.

Taking a long sip of hot coffee I tried to prolong the inevitable. I'd have to look at myself eventually. Will there be more changes to my appearance thanks to the healing? I didn't want to find out. At least I wasn't glowing any brighter than before.

A trip to the bathroom revealed highlights in my hair and bluer eyes, all in all not too bad. I was still glowing when I put down my shields, but by now the effort of keeping them up was ridiculously small. Maintaining my mental shields too had become almost unnoticeable to me. That in itself was a pleasant relief after years of struggling to keep the thoughts of others out of my head. It sure made up for all the other changes my body was making thanks to the vampire juice.

The laundry basket was suspiciously empty when I peeked. When I went back to bed last night someone had changed the sheets and I had been too tired to ask, but the old ones weren't anywhere to be found. I briefly wondered what they had done with them, and then decided that since they weren't here I didn't need to worry about it.

I tried to not think about what I'd done last night. The guild I felt for taking yet another life was a heavy weight in my stomach that wasn't as easily ignored. Did vampires ever feel this? Did they ever regret killing someone? Deciding that they probably didn't, not after the first year, if then I felt a little better that I still felt the guilt. It made me human, and there was so little humanity left to me these days that the weight was almost bearable. Almost.

There was nothing on television and flicking through the channels aimlessly got real tiring after ten minutes. The apartment was clean, dished were done and I didn't have any laundry to do. I was at a loss as to how I should spend this free time.

Between working at Merlotte's, telepathy for Eric and running two households I always had something needing to be done. This feeling of uselessness was unsettling.

I called Jason. He was surprised to hear I was in Jackson and when I explained it was for work, he said to make sure I took the time to have some fun too. Smiling I agreed, though I knew I was lying. It was so like Jason to think of having a good time. We weren't close, but he was all the human family I had left.

My phone call to Phedre was more sombre. We hadn't caught up in a few days and telling her all about my adventures here, as well as my new glowing abilities was a relief. It was nice to be able to talk to someone who understood me and the world I lived in. She told me to be careful and to come and see her when I got back.

Someone back home worried about me. It was nice.

I heard the front door open and close while I was on the phone. Sure enough Alcide was in the kitchen when I came out. He had all sorts of packages on the counter. Most of them were wrapped. He must have gone Christmas shopping. I realised that we'd be putting up a tree if I was back home. Gran always put one up at the beginning of December and it sat proudly in our living room through out the month. I used to love curling up under a blanket next to the fire and stare at the lights until I dozed off.

I could picture a beautiful tree next to the fireplace our house in Shreveport, covered in new and old decorations. Pam promised to help me decorate everything, if I didn't complain about the presents. I told her that provided there weren't any obscene gifts I'd suck it up. I could also picture Godric's and Eric's faces. From what Pam told me they were never big fans of this holiday. They'll just have to suck it up too and learn to enjoy it with me. This was one tradition I was never going to budge on.

"All done with the presents?" I asked as I leaned against the counter.

Alcide gave me a smile. "Sure am. How are you feeling?"

"Fine. Not even a scar. I'm all ready for tonight," I said.

He looked surprised. "Not even a scar?"

I shrugged my shoulders trying to look like it wasn't that big of a deal. "Vampire blood heals clean." That wasn't entirely true. I had noticed that my own healing has sped up over the last couple of months. Adding Eric's blood made sure I wouldn't have an ugly looking red line to hide in the summer. Alcide didn't need to know just how supernatural I had become recently, he was looking impressed enough with the explanation he got.

"Wow! Who knew those bloodsuckers could actually be useful."

I scowled at him. "Yeah, because they don't get drained enough for drugs, right?"

He wasn't listening to me, not really. "But think of how many lives they could save—"

"Alcide," I interrupted him. "They'd be locked up and harvested in no time. How would you feel if they caged you as a zoo exhibit just because you could turn into a wolf?"

His eyes sparkled when I mentioned a cage, and not in a good way, but he didn't drop his argument. "That's different. We can't do anything half as useful as that." He pointed to my chest.

"They would be able to _feel_ every single person who drank their blood. Every emotion, all of it."

"Oh." He looked horrified as the thought sank into his wolf brain.

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Doesn't sound that nice does it? Besides, can you really see them being charitable?"

From the look on his face I hazarded a guess that he was really trying to picture a charitable vampire donating his blood for a good cause. It was comical to watch, if I hadn't been so pissed over the issue I might have enjoyed the moment more.

"So he could feel you? Your feelings?"

"Yeah, and because of my quirk I can feel him too. A little anyway," I said.

"You okay with that? You okay that he can feel you like that?"

I shrugged not really sure how I felt about either Eric or Godric being able to monitor my feelings that closely. It had always felt a little invasive, but then again it did offer me extra protection, and these days I seemed to need all the help I could get. The fact that I could now tap into their emotions made it more even. I wasn't about to voice my doubts to Alcide though.

"He did it because he cares for me, because we are together, because his maker cares for me. As far as I know he's only ever given blood to two others. They don't give it out lightly."

He held up his hands in surrender. "Hey, I'm just saying that it would be awesome to be able to heal others as fast you healed, that's all." Then he looked down at the pile of presents. "I brought scrabble today. Thought it'd come in handy when my nephew comes over. Wanna test it out?"

I agreed, after all we had several hours to kill before dinner.

Alcide beat me, but only by a few points. Playing word banter with ancient vampires was expanding my vocabulary faster than any word of the day calendar could, but I still had a ways to go. Spelling those new words was proving to be a different, more complicated story.

After a short discussion about what we should do with dinner—Alcide refused to let me cook— we decided on ordering Chinese. It had become my guilty pleasure since I started working at Fangtasia on a regular basis. Gran and I hadn't had a lot of money for takeout before —not that Bon Temps had that many dinner joints that offered the service anyway. That aside Gran was a firm believer in home cooking.

Long hours of reading minds made me hungry and Chinese was quick and delicious, but offensive to the vampires. Eric especially loathed it. He was still not over my choice of Chinese over expensive restaurant food back in Dallas. He brought up the subject just last week at Fangtasia to see if Pam would be on his side. She was. I didn't care for either of their opinions on the matter and since it was me who was eating the point he was trying to make was moot.

The place Alcide ordered from had fantastic food and tonight I enjoyed it without the feeling I was taking part in a guilty pleasure.

As darkness fell a mixture of relief and dread filled me. I wanted to see Eric, hug him and be hugged. But darkness also meant we'd have to go to the club, separately. I really didn't want to go there again, let alone pretend I'm with Alcide while both of my vampires watched me.

My phone rang just as I was fixing my hair. I'd already put on my dress and tights—it was red with black thigh highs. It also had thick straps that covered up where I was scratched last night and cut lower than I liked at the front. Russel would notice if the marks were healed, and the rest of the bar would be too busy noticing my assets.

I thought that Eric would love it, Godric probably not so much as I balanced my phone on my shoulder and said hello.

"Lover, you are well?" Eric's smooth voice greeted me.

A smile appeared in the mirror when I heard his voice, happiness bubbling up in me despite my nervousness.

"I suppose. I'm getting ready now."

"Are you naked?" There was a definite leer present behind those words.

"Nope."

"Pity. I enjoy watching you get dressed." I could feel the after affects of _that_ tone of voice all the way in my panties.

The conversation had distracted me sufficiently enough that I barely registered the door swinging to reveal a large Viking filling the space behind it, looking for all the world hopeful that I may have lied and was in fact still naked.

Turning the phone off I walked up to get a kiss.

"I didn't expect you to come past," I said after he was done making sure I was breathless. Our kiss lasted a good deal longer than a "hello", it was more of a "I'm horny, we don't have time for more but I'll make sure you are craving me as much as I'm craving you, lover."

He smiled down at me, probably enjoying my reaction to him. "I couldn't resist checking up on you. You look mouth-watering."

I rolled my eyes, but the smile stayed on my lips. "Maybe you'll get a bite after."

The heated look he gave me made me shiver in anticipation. "How was your day? Eventful?" That same look clearly took in all the changes in my appearance I could not see, but vampire vision made perfectly visible.

The meaning behind his words was clear. He was not referring to my round of scrabble with Alcide, or if I had visited a beauty salon. Trust Eric to think of my last little episode and it's after effects. "Nope. Same regular me, well, almost." I continued when he gave me an expectant look. "My hair is lighter and my eyes are a little funny, but I haven't suddenly turned into a fire breathing dragon or anything."

He must have missed the humour, or maybe I just wasn't funny. Instead Eric grabbed my face and inspected my eyes.

"Yes, they seem brighter, but nothing noticeable," he said after a moment letting go of me. The issue would probably come up again, but since there wasn't anything pressing such as glowing skin, or well, anything that would mark me completely supernatural visibly to others he let it go. Practical was a great word to describe Eric. "Do you like my disguise?"

For the first time I really looked at his clothes. He was wearing a three piece olive suit that screamed quality. Not something I'd have even thought of to buy for him, or that it would suit a guy with baby blues, but it did. Eric could wear a bathrobe at a black tie event and still be the best dressed man there.

His hair was braided in a tight braid that I recognised. He'd done it up like that before. When I'd asked him where he learned to do it, he told me it was the way his people used to wear it. He'd done mine in the same braid more than once. The braids lasted for days if you were careful enough, which was why I guess his people used to braid their hair.

There were fake prescription glasses perched on top of the now slick hair, finishing the ensemble.

"Glasses? A little extreme, isn't it?"

He gave me a severe look whilst lowering them. It made him look sophisticated and hot. Very hot. "You do not like them?"

I shook my head. "No, they're nice. You look different." Although I still preferred his casual singlet and jeans look, this one was not bad. Not bad at all.

"Is that not the idea of a disguise?"

He gave me a severe look that made him look like a seriously hot professor. God, can you imagine Eric as a professor? I felt sorry for the hypothetical students, the female half.

"Sure." And there was a catch in the breath that expelled that word.

"Then I succeeded, yes?" His smirk got wider as he sniffed the air in the small bathroom.

"I guess so. Have you heard from Godric?"

His expression changed to a more neutral one, but he couldn't quiet hide the tension that sprang up in him when I mentioned his maker. "I have not been able to contact him this evening, but I assume he has been busy entertaining his host."

I nodded, not wanting to think about the entertainment he would have to provide.

"He will be fine. I'm more worried about you, lover. Are you ready for tonight?"

I gave him a smile, hoping my face didn't betray the way I felt. Not that there was a way to fully fool him, he could feel me. "I'll be glad to get things over with."

He nodded. "Yes. Bill Compton is proving to be a nuisance."

Giggling, I said, "A pain in my behind more like."

Eric gave me a sultry look succeeding in increasing the temperature in the bathroom by several degrees. "There are only two who have that privilege, and he is not one of them."

"Go! I'll see you at the club." I said as a blush warmed my cheeks.

He was delighted by my reaction as per usual and with a self-satisfied smile sauntered out of the bathroom, after giving me a kiss goodbye.

Alcide was waiting for me in the living room, pacing a hole in the floor. He turned to look at me when I came out. I had put on a black wrap to keep myself warm, although I doubted I'd be warm enough, but I didn't feel like carrying a coat.

"Ready?"

"Sure." His voice betrayed his tension even more than his body. I didn't think it boded well to have a Werewolf in a vampire club so high-strung, but there wasn't much of a choice in the matter.

We may have known each other for a short while, a very short while, but this kind of tension felt out of ordinary even for him. So once in the elevator I asked him what he was so worried about, hoping I wouldn't step on any tails by the question. Surely he wasn't this nervous over going back to the club.

"It's full moon."

My insides clenched with worry. With everything that was going on I'd completely forgotten. Usually it was something I'd keep track off; my guards were grouchy during their "time of the month." During these couple of days I didn't leave the house during the day. First off tempers ran high during the full moon and second I found out just how tired they were after a shift and a run first hand making them even more protective of me than usual.

I put a hand on Alcide's arm, mindful of the tension coursing under my fingertips and said, "You'll be okay, right? Do you want to cancel?"

He gave me a look that made me want to let go, but I didn't. No matter his show of temper I lived with two ancient vamps, I've seen much worse than a Were during full moon. Besides, Alcide wasn't the _alfa_ of his pack, so his dominating energy was just not strong enough to subdue me.

"I'll be fine. As long as I stay out of the moonlight and keep my temper, besides Russel specifically asked for us. We can't _not_ go."

After searching his face I nodded and left him alone. We didn't speak much on the drive down and Alcide practically jumped out of the truck and under the covering of the awning.

He tried to apologies for being less than a gentleman, but I hushed him. I may not know the need to shift myself, but I could see inside his head. He was trying his best.

Mr Hobbs somehow looked grouchier then he had the night before making me wonder if goblins had the same issues as Weres during the full moon. He gave Alcide a glare and bowed to me again.

My breath got stuck in my lungs as his eyes paused on my boots for a few seconds longer than strictly necessary.

The boots looked a little heavy with the dress I had chosen, but I didn't care. They had built in compartments for my knives and the heels were comfortable. After last night I wasn't compromising my safety for the sake of fashion.

"I am sorry for last night's disturbance. There will be no trouble tonight," he said in a rough, almost unused voice.

From Aclide's stunned face I gathered that Mr Hobbs wasn't the talkative, let alone apologetic type. Wondering what had made me so special I forced a smile while telling him that I hoped so too, in as convincing tone as I could muster.

"Your grandsire sends his regards. Follow me, the king is expecting you," he said, gesturing for us to follow him inside.

I clicked my way into the club leaning heavily on Alcide, who seemed to have had no reaction Mr Hobbs statement. I, on the other hand, was full of questions and no time to get any answers.

Sure enough the king was sitting in a booth close to the dance floor, and I immediately spotted Godric sandwiched in between him and another vampire. Mr Hobbs dutifully led us to the waiting vampires and after doing a respectful head bob to Russel left us in front of a table full of vamps.

After Alcide greeted Russel with a respectful nod of the head and the rest of the company with slightly smaller, yet grudgingly deferential nods, it was my turn. I greeted Russel with my own version of a head bob who in turn introduced me to his companions.

Godric gave me a bland look that if I hadn't felt the underlying warmth trickling through our bond I'd have taken badly. After last night I hadn't been sure of his reception, but it was hard to resist basking the in warmth spreading inside me and my smile turned slightly more genuine as I saw a glimpse of my Godric in the depths of his eyes.

The other vampire turned out to be Russel's mate, Talbot—no last name. He had dark curly hair and a young boyish face as well as the attitude to match it. Although he wasn't quite as showy about his gayness as Lafayette, it was blatantly obvious which team he batted for from the looks that he kept throwing towards Godric.

His young looks and actions didn't quiet hide the age of his presence from me, and I knew that for all of his frivolity he would probably be a force to be reckoned, should the need arise.

Trying to control my jealousy and nausea I slid into the booth. Alcide had pulled up a chair to sit next to me. If it were at all possible I'd say he looked tenser than he had minutes ago outside dodging the moonlight.

I felt for him. It must be hard being the only Were at a table with four vampires and a telepath with strange glowing abilities that may or may not be human.

"I'm so glad you could make it," Russel said with an easy smile and bountiful Southern charmed. Personally it felt a little too sweet and thick, but I smiled just as pleasantly—if a little crazily; I was a Southern lady. "I hope you had a relaxing day and are fully recovered."

"I'm perfectly fine, it was just a scratch that you helped heal." Russel nodded his head signalling his satisfaction with my answer. And I was happy as a clam for a moment that he believed me. Only there were two people at the table that didn't. There was Alcide, who shifted uncomfortably next to me and Godric's emotions betrayed him at the mention of my injury. I felt his concern. His face gave away nothing and so I ignored the shake him and continued to smile at the king in front of me.

Russel waved off my efforts to make him the hero. He looked more than pleased to have been able to taste me. I was pretty sure he wouldn't say no to more either, his not so subtle looks towards my neck were hard to miss.

Despite the obvious interest in me as dinner it didn't take the vampire long to forget about me and move onto a different subject. Something about construction in Jackson that Alcide's company was taking care off for Russel. They all seemed to be following, even Godric looked somewhat interested. That wasn't much of a surprise since he was always looking around for new investment opportunities.

Eric, Pam and Godric owned a fair amount of property around the US and even some in other countries. Godric had taken over overseeing all of them since he moved back, leaving Eric to have more time for his Sheriff duties and Pam to run the club, so all of them could have more free time in the end. It worked out well for everyone, including me.

Involuntary my eyes started to search the bar for my tall, blond professor, but I couldn't spot him. There were far fewer of the two-natured in the bar tonight, but a lot more of vampires and their human companions. A couple of the bikers from last night were here and I hoped they wouldn't be asking about their friend. From the looks they sent our way, I wasn't sure I would be so lucky.

When the waitress came to get our order I asked for a gin and tonic not willing to experiment just in case I'd need my wits about me later on. Alcide ordered a beer. The vampires already had bottles of True Blood in front of them.

"So what kind of work do you do, Miss?" Talbot asked endearing himself to me since I knew he wasn't exactly interested.

"I'm a business consultant," I told him, for once proud of my job. Not that I hadn't been proud of being a waitress, but people sure treated you better when you weren't classed as one of the help.

Talbot's interest simmered down a notch when he heard my answer, but he asked the obligated question as to what exactly it was that I did. Actually he was one of the most polite and well mannered vampire's I've met so far. Whether this could be attributed to his gay status or his consort of the King status I didn't know, but for once it was nice to be treated as something more than food by a vamp.

I told him the truth about myself, or as close as I could get to it without revealing everything. Chatting a bit more about this and that I learned that he was an interior decorator. He actually went and studied night courses to get a degree in the subject a few decades ago. It made me wonder what he'd think about my ancestral home. Something told me he would find the shabby chic interior more shabby rather than chic, but it was my family's house and I loved it to bits anyway.

There were far few humans in the bar so it wasn't hard for me to scan the brains while I listened to Talbot describing a house he decorated for Russel back in the eighteenth century Italy. It was during his proud recounting of the formal living rooms that I heard a stray thought that shook me up.

"Martyrdom" the man was thinking. It was coming from somewhere near the bar behind me. Instinctively my head started to turn, but I stopped, instead looking at Talbot with what he must have taken as appreciation because his descriptions became even more detailed.

Tuning out the Italian vampire's enthusiastic depiction of the hand painted wall-paper from Japan I concentrated on the brain behind me.

"_He promised I'll be famous if I do this. God, please let it not hurt. At least he's here too. I hope he doesn't die as well, he's a great man_." A picture of a familiar face floated in his mind and I cringed. Steve Newlan was in a supernatural bar. How the heck did he manage to get past Mr Hobbs?

What disturbed me more were the stakes that both of them had in their pockets.

Oh, God!

Before I knew it I was on my feet and walking towards the bar. The two humans looked oddly out of place, and yet nobody had noticed them so far. It took me a moment to find their intended victim.

She was one of three vampires sitting at the bar. I had no doubt what so ever that the vampire Newlan was gunning for was Betty Joe Pickard, Russel's second in command. Why they had picked her for their suicide mission I wasn't sure, because frankly the fact that Betty Joe was female was not going to make their job any easier. Betty Joe was easily as big as the rest of the male vamps in the bar tonight. She had broad shoulders and stocky frame that was at odds with her feminie attire (a strapless dress with a full skirt that screamed fifties).

It was in these precious few seconds I felt myself waver.

I didn't know what to do.

If I said something now, I'd reveal my talent. Who knew how much Bill had told them about me? Or Lorena for that matter. She had known why I was in Dallas, I had huge doubts that she would decided to hold that information to herself purely out of the goodness of her heart.

In that moment of indecision I looked across the bar, momentarily shifting my attention from the two human men and their intended victim. I wasn't sure what, or who I was looking for, but my eyes instinctively found a pair of ice blue ones. And even in this light I had no trouble seeing the intensity behind them.

The face to which the eyes belonged was for once carrying a less than stoic expression. I still have doubts whether I've seen Eric look that worried before. He knew what was going on; he was one of two beings in here who could recognise the man in the trench coat in front of me.

I thought I felt a wave of disapproval and panic flow through me as my eyes shifted back to the men in front of me, but it might have been just a passing fancy. Either way any decision making was taken out of my hands when I saw the second guy —whose name I didn't know other than Steve Newlan's sacrificial lamb— take out a stake.

"Stake!" I yelled heedless of the consequences to myself as my hands flew out to grab his arm before it had a chance to make its target.

The problem was, I underestimated my own strength and the guy's arm snapped back, out of the socket with a sickening sound that made me let go at once. His face was a mixture of surprise and pain as he looked at me. I didn't need to be a telepath to figure out what he was thinking.

Then rage filled it and his other hand moved under his big jacket.

Operating on instinct my hands moved down to the top of my boots, fingers gripping the handle of my knives firmly. Two months of brutal training had save my life. I barely registered as I blocked the incoming knife with my own, flicking my wrists just so to get the lethal silver coated thing out of his grip.

My body was moving moments later, operating more on instinct than actual command as I felt the knives slide into the flesh with ease. I didn't kill them, wounded them just enough so that they were incapacitated, but readily available for questioning.

It was after both of them were down that I became aware of my surroundings. Of the hisses and growls coming from the Shifting two-natured who were half way through changing into their animal forms, the blood, violence and the moon triggering the shift and of the menacing vampires closing in on me and the two bleeding men in front of me.

My sense extended as I took in the situation, drawing the knives closer as I got ready to defend myself. Despite the fact that I was defending one of their kind, I didn't think the vampires could tell much of a difference between myself and the would-be-murderers in their bloodlust.

"Aren't you something special, Miss Hale." I heard Russel's exaggerated Southern drawl from my left side.

I didn't lower my weapons as I adjusted my stance to put Russel in my view. He looked mildly amused.

Behind me I heard Mr Hobbs barking orders in his raspy voice for the animals to get out of the club. I didn't look to see if they were leaving, but I felt their minds move away as well as heard the clicking of claws and beating of wings.

One less thing to worry about. I was already in a heap of trouble.

I waited, watching Russel.

Would he decide that I was a threat after all? Would I get a chance to defend myself? I saw Eric in my peripheral vision inching his way towards me. Would he make it in time if the other vampires attacked me? I felt more than saw Godric nearby. He was somewhere behind me. He must have moved when the action started and I hadn't noticed. Would he jeopardise his alibi if he came to my rescue?

The blank wall behind which he hid his feelings was down. He was worried, in bloodlust and...proud. Warmth rushed through me and I had to resist turning around to see his face, knowing that there wouldn't be much to actually see in it. He was a master at hiding behind a mask, just like Eric.

"I suggest you put those down, Miss Hale, before my retinue thinks you are interested in attacking me," Russel said with a pointed look at my blades. He was right of course, but the action was accomplish with all the fangs pointed my way.

After a moment of hesitation, which caused Russel's mouth to twitch in amusement, I lowered my knives.

"It would seem I owe you a debt of thanks, Miss Hale, for saving my second in command," Russel said, his accent was less pronounced due to the tension in the air. "Let me repay it with an invitation to my mansion." I was about to protest, but the look in his eyes said I didn't have much of a choice.

I tried to look grateful, aware of the fact that I was failing miserably. "Thank you, Mr Edginton, I would be delighted."

Talbot was at my side in an instant. He looked at my knives with genuine interest, eyes sparkling as he inspected them at a closer range. I had no idea where Lexie had gotten them, but I had my suspicions. From the look on Talbot's face, so did he. Even through the layer of blood on them, the fine craftsmanship was obvious.

He gestured at the bartender. "Bring Miss Hale a towel to clean her knives."

"Thank you," I said meekly as I awkwardly transferred the knives into one hand to grab the towel.

"These are lovely pieces, Miss Hale. I wonder, where did you acquire something so rare?" He asked after I cleaned one blade and slid it back into its resting place in my left boot.

As I was busy cleaning the vampires had taken care of the mess I made. The two humans were dragged out of the bar and someone was already mopping off the blood they left behind. I had to admire their efficiency.

"They were a present," I answered, not wanting to reveal more than needed. Talbot didn't look satisfied with my less than informative response, nor was he happy when I finally slid the second knife back into its resting place in my boot, but I didn't care.

"It would seem your date has abandoned you in favour of a run under the moon, Miss Hale, allow me to be your escort in his place," I familiar warm voice said beside me. I turned to look at Godric and couldn't help giving him a small relieved smile. No matter the trouble brewing around us I was happy he was with me again. Happy I wouldn't have to face the rest of the night alone.

"Thank you," I barely whispered in answer as he took my hand into his, the contact sent a jolt of electricity through me as it always has. It was like coming home. As soon as his skin touched mine the barrier between us fell away. I felt him. All of him. Everything he's always kept carefully hidden behind the masks. It was overwhelming. My heart gave a powerful lurch as I realised how much I missed him, how much I cared. That I really did love him.

He gave my hand a gentle squeeze before wrapping it around his arm. There was no doubt that now was not the time to talk about our feelings. Not with a vampire king to deal with and my ex to rescue. I squeezed back, comforted to know we were on the same page for once.

Not to be outdone Talbot took my other arm before we walked out of Club Dead to visit with the vampire King of Mississippi.


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: It's been a while since I've updated so hello to everyone who hasn't given me up for dead yet. There have been some tech issues and RL issues that have prevented me from getting to a computer and internet. _

_Since it's been such a long time I decided to put in a summary for you guys. Hell, I needed to re-read when I started writing._

_What's happened so far..._

_ Sookie was attacked by Weres on her way home from Bon Temps to Shreveport. Godric organized security for her and after their second blood-exchange she started glowing. No, not her hands, just generally glowing, which so far has proved harmless._

_At some point after that Sookie decided to move in "officially" with her vamps and quit her job at Merlotte's. Yay for her! But due to Bill getting into trouble in Jackson she hasn't had a chance to enjoy the extra free time. _

_The trio agreed that it would be better for Sookie to investigate. Godric hadn't been happy with the idea so he made his way to Jackson ahead of Sookie to keep an eye on her. _

_When Sookie and Alcide showed up and Club Dead (aka Josepehine's) he was already part of Russell's group leaving Sookie confused and hurt after his shut down when she got hassled by the local Were-gang, in the process gaining Russell's attention as well as an invitation to come back the next night._

_Alcide and Sookie made their way home after an eventful night only to discover the same gang member waiting for them at the apartment. Sookie killed him before he had the chance to get to her, but was wounded during the scuffle. _

_Eric showed up just in time to help her heal and comfort her._

_The next night at Club Dead somehow Steve Newlin snuck in and attempted to kill Betty Joe, which Sookie prevented. An all out brawl started and all the Weres shifted leaving Sookie without a companion. Russell invited her back to his place on the pretext of thanking her for her help. _

_And that's the short version of the events. If you want the longer one, go back and re-read. *grin* _

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own any of the characters they belong to CH and AB._

* * *

There was no sign of the animals on the dark, menacing street outside the club. It was almost eeriely normal. Humans were all blissfully asleep in the neighboring houses and the only car that was idling on the curb I had to assume belonged to Russell. I was pretty sure he was the only one who could pull off driving a Cadillac.

The king himself was standing beside the black vehicle, along with his second. Neither looked to be very happy with the other and I hoped the frustration that seemed to be surrounding them would not have serious consequences for me.

Their hushed discussion stopped as we drew closer. They had been discussing clean up and security arrangements, thinking that I probably couldn't hear them.

Betty Jo—whose undead life I just saved—seemed to be greatly bothered by the fact that I was carrying weapons. She wanted to relieve me of them before Russell let me sit in the car with him. I had to applaud her spunk; there probably wouldn't be that many people who'd try to stand up to Russell. Gay he may be, but the vampire was old as dirt, probably older than that actually. I could see why she was his second.

A hunch told me now was not the time to enlighten them to the fact that I heard every whispered word. Instead, I concentrated on trying to keep my breathing and heart beat steady, something I've come to learn was important when hanging around vampires if you didn't want them to be clued in that you weren't buying the AVL "nice vampire" crap.

Russell gave me a charming smile, and in true gentleman form held the door open. I felt my heart skip a beat and his eyes twinkled in answer to the broken rhythm.

I swallowed.

"Shall we?" he said.

I'd be damned if I didn't feel like I was sliding into a mouse trap, with a hungry lion staring at me. It was a very polite and cultured lion, but that wouldn't mean much when you are about to get eaten.

The only thing that kept my panic manageable was Godric's soothing presence as he slid onto the plush leather seat next to me. Although we couldn't in any way give away that we knew each other, I still felt safer. He was next to me, supporting me and I could feel that he was proud of me. That was more than enough for now. It had to be.

The car dipped as Russell slid behind the wheel, and then again as Talbot sat next to him. I felt my mouth turn as the irony hit me: I was being chauffeured by the King of Mississippi.

Of course, it could be the equivalent of getting take out for him. You just never know with vampires.

"You are mighty handy with those knives, my dear, Betty Joe was impressed enough to caution me about letting you keep them," Russell said, eyeing me in the mirror as his eyes sparkled with humor. I couldn't see the rest of his face but I'd bet my next month wages that he was smiling.

My shoulders tensed as a slither of fear tightened my stomach into knots all over again while I scrambled for what to say. The truth would certainly get me drained; not even my vampires would be able to protect me from that. Lying would surely lead me down the same road. I was in deep waters and drowning with every breath; there was no point in playing coy.

"Thank you, your Majesty, but I doubt I'd be much of a threat to someone like you." Then I realized that it might sound like I'd maybe want to be, if I could. "Not that I have any interest in harming you. None. At all." I added breathlessly, almost stumbling over the words.

He chuckled. "Oh, I am very aware of that which is why I ignored the wishes of my second in command and security officer."

I was suddenly sliding on the creamy leather as Russell took a particularly sharp turn, leaving me flush up against Godric. Before I knew what was happening his arm came around me. The contact sung along my skin. I'd missed him. I didn't move away.

"From what I hear you only attack those who either prey on you or those you love, since I fall in neither of those categories, I assume I am safe." Again those eyes danced as Russell flicked them between me and Godric. There was my answer. He suspected something. I had a feeling the sharpness of the turn hadn't been bad driving. Vampires don't know how to drive badly. Fast, sure. Bad, never.

"You are very well informed," I stated, not wishing to step into more trouble. I wasn't sure where this was heading but my instinct was telling me that it wasn't anywhere I wanted. I wished I could speak to Godric, just for a minute or two, but I had two Mississippi vampires in the front seat of their Cadillac so any private conversation was out of the question.

Why couldn't I get mental telegraphing instead of glowing skin? There was no way of telling what game the King was playing.

I am a telepath, but one thing I can't do is read vampires. I don't _want_ to read them. Sookie Stackhouse would be no more if the big bad undead ever knew I had glimpses into their brains. Not even Eric and Godric knew about those.

Talbot turned around to look at me, his brown eyes betraying the intelligence that hid behind his playboy façade. "That is his privilege as king."

Blinking again I nodded my agreement. It was good to be a vampire king, you got to know all kinds of things and disregard all sorts of rules.

I wondered what it would be like if the human government was actually aware of the vampire internal power structure. But why wouldn't they be? It must be a heck of a lot easier for them to just ignore all of it. The patriots would be deeply offended to find out they have been living all their lives in a vampire kingdom and that the rest of the country was actually divided into more of them but if I had to guess, most of the politicians would probably prefer it that way.

If the vampires were self governed it was less hassle for them. I would have to ask Eric if I was right when we were home again. I missed home. And truly the house by the lake where I now lived has become home. I felt it now in my heart that it was that home I missed; not the Stackhouse homestead which I had grown up and spent most of my adult life in.

Coming back to reality I realized that the vampires around me had moved on from tormenting me with awkward questions.

I watched the houses blur past, while listening to the three of them converse in Italian. They could have been talking about tonight or dinner plans, or refurbishing a house. I had no idea; for all I knew they were discussing me.

It couldn't have been anything bad if they were, since Godric was completely calm.

I looked down at our hands, his fingers threaded through mine in comfortable security. I hadn't noticed when he caught my hand. Maybe it had been me who caught his? I couldn't bring myself to pull away.

His other arm was still wrapped around me and I leaned into him letting his cool skin soothe my fried nerves.

By the time we were pulling up to a large metal gate in the middle of an equally imposing brick fence I was half asleep and trying to remember not to snuggle too much with my seat buddy. I'd managed to get lulled into serenity (word of the day from last Monday) in a car with the most powerful vampire I've ever met, who may still kill me.

Crazy Sookie? People kept thinking that, I was starting to agree with them.

Russell didn't even need to slow the car down as the gates opened fully by the time we drove up to them. The guards didn't check who was with him. They were all vampires and could probably smell and see who was in the car without needing a visual confirmation. Or maybe Betty Jo had called ahead.

My heart sank a little as we passed through what I guessed to be the only entrance onto the estate. How on earth was I supposed to find and rescue Bill with all this security around me?

"Oh, you will just adore the house, my dear," Talbot gushed as he turned to me with a smile that, strangely, reminded me of Gran and her friends. It was the kind of smile that I knew well, although never had seen on someone as young as him, or who looked as young as him, anyway. Talbot may look like a twenty something stylish playboy, but being undead and never aging he could be nine times my Gran's age.

In the South we're all proud of our homesteads, no matter how shabby they may be. Actually, it isn't pride, it's love. Love for a place we've created, lived in and cleaned. The latter action performed vigorously and frequently.

So it wasn't hard for me to get infected by his enthusiasm. Sleep disappeared from my eyes as we drove up the tree-lined road. The trees were old and the canopy hung over us in a false leafy ceiling.

I always loved beautiful old-fashioned mansions. There was something regal about them. Granted the only house in Bon Temps that was big enough to be classed in that category was owned by Caroline Bellefleur, but back in its heyday it must have been magnificent. Now, since the family hadn't been making as much money as was needed to support it, the house was a faint shadow of its former Southern glory.

I used to purposely drive out of my way and past it some days, just so I could imagine what it would be like to live somewhere that was so beautiful. Of course, I've never been inside. To Caroline's grandchildren I was "Crazy Sookie", and that was that.

When I caught sight of Russell's antebellum mansion I couldn't quiet stifle a gasp of pleasure. I couldn't tell if the octagonal house was bigger than Godric's mansion in Dallas, but surely it couldn't have been smaller. I loved it. Despite the fact that it was currently occupied by vampires that may or may not want to kill me I simply couldn't stop myself from falling in love with it.

Russell stopped the Cadillac in front of the main entrance and before I knew it he was opening the car door for me. Again the gentlemanly gesture was tainted by a hint of mockery. Talbot looked on indulgently.

"Welcome to my humble home, Miss Hale." He took my arm. I tried not to flinch at the contact. Godric and the King's Consort followed just behind us as he led me into his home.

I felt privileged and terrified at the same time.

"Your home is beautiful," I said, relieved not to have to hide the truth. There was no need. Between the architecture and antiques that filled the house there wasn't anything that could possibly be unappealing about it.

Of course this was just the parlor, but I had no doubt that the rest of the house would be splendid.

Russell lifted my hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss on it before thanking me. I bit the side of my cheek while resisting the urge to take my hand back and wipe it on my clothes. Smiling instead, I continued to take in the rest of the décor.

A young man came into the foyer from a door on our left. Blond curls hung around his head in a halo, framing an almost feminine face. He wasn't wearing much in the way of clothes, something that surprised me until I remembered that we were in the house of a queer King. His shirt hung loosely over lean shoulders and his pants were figure hugging.

He made a beeline for Russell and bowed subserviently. "Your Majesty, I am sorry to disturb you, but there is a matter that requires your attention."

Whatever else I had to applaud Russell's taste in men and the choice in uniforms. The white flowing pants and naked torso certainly made those inclined that way appreciative. Even with all that I had at home I couldn't help but be inclined.

Russell sighed. "The trouble of being a king is that nothing seems to be done without my having to personally oversee it. Tedious." He gave me an almost childish look that had my lips twitching despite my fear. "Please forgive the interruption my dear; I'm afraid I will be unavailable to give you a tour. I hope Talbot's company won't be too much of a disappointment, in fact he is probably more knowledgeable when it comes to all the treasures we've collected over the years."

I nodded, relief almost making my knees weak. Somehow spending time with the King's consort seemed less life threatening than spending time with the king. "Of course, Mr. Edgington, I'm sure he'll be a wonderful companion." Two could play the game of pleasantries. I learned Southern manners from my Gran; she'd have my hide if I didn't use them.

The comical expression on Talbot face almost made me giggle. No, it wasn't the right time for humour, but how someone could manage to look both proud as a peacock and pissy as hell was beyond me. He did it with an abundance of gay flare.

I was pretty sure that Talbot and Lafayette would get along just fine. Not that Lafayette would be interested in undead gays. He was decidedly anti-vampire these days. Not in the same way as the church, he just didn't want anything to do with them. I couldn't say I blamed him after all that he'd been through. Of course, it had been his fault to begin with, but still.

"You are welcome to join them, Godric, as we got distracted by other things last night," Russell said before exiting the room through the same door as his toy-boy secretary.

What the heck did that mean? Torn between jealousy and respect at how well the King played his cards I had no choice but to follow his consort on a guided and drawn out tour of the lion's den.

"This has been a wonderful tour, Talbot, but I am wondering if it would be possible to provide some refreshments for our human companion? I understand they need sustenance more often that we do." Godric must have sensed my growing need for nutrition. I gave him a grateful look.

We've been walking from one room to the next with no end in sight and while I enjoyed myself, despite the danger, I was getting desperate for a bathroom break and some food.

Talbot cast me an assessing glance and I tried to look hungry. My stomach helped me by rumbling loudly enough to make me blush and him grimace. Obviously attending to human needs didn't excite him. Maybe it was just female humans that got that kind of reaction out of him? I canned that train of thought blushing all over again at the obvious conclusion it was leading to.

"I see you might be right," he said to Godric. "I'm sorry for not thinking of it earlier, Miss Hale, we usually have dinner a little later, but we'll make an exception tonight. I'm sure Russell is almost finished with business. Is there something specific you would prefer?"

_I would prefer not to be your prisoner_. I didn't think that was up for discussion though. "A sandwich would be wonderful, but toast is great too," I said not wanting to be too much of a bother. I'd have loved a good steak. "Maybe a coffee, if possible?"

He smiled indulgently and went to talk to one of the boys loitering around the house. At least most of them were wearing shirts. I had a pretty good idea that they weren't just hanging out and in actual fact were guards. Although with the royal couple being gay and obviously not entirely exclusive, who knew?

As soon as Talbot's back was to us Godric was behind me, his arms on my shoulders as he pulled me up against him. The contact felt wonderful and I let myself sag against him a little, enjoying the sudden respite. "I am proud of you, ma petite," Godric whispered next to my ear.

My proximity showed just how proud and my lips curved. "Am I in a lot of trouble?"

A kiss on my neck, right near the artery made my heart skip a beat.

"No." And then he was gone.

I breathed.

"Miss Hale, please come this way. I believe Russell is almost done. It would seem he is much more mindful of human needs and had already seen to having a meal prepared for you," Talbot said as he turned back. "Godric, he also made something special for us that I am sure you will love."

I wondered what could that possibly be, last time I checked vampires could only drink blood. After all blood was blood, right?

The dining room was one of the few rooms we hadn't had a chance to see yet. There was a lovely mahogany table that could sit twelve in the middle of it and a beautiful antique chandelier hung over it. More tapestries and priceless art surrounded us as we seated ourselves. I was on the right side of what I assumed to be Russell's chair at the far end of the table. Godric was seated on the left. Talbot was next to him.

I took in the whole room with interest. I was aware of the lack of need for formal dining—or any kind of dining area, really— in a vampire home and strangely glad that such a room existed. I had never had the pleasure of such a formal dinner and the flower centerpiece and beautiful candelabrum that decorated the table made me feel undeniably special.

What had me curious were all the plates and gold cutlery set in front of us. What the heck would vampires need those for? I was sure they didn't eat right solid food.; surely if vampires ate humans I'd have known about it by now. I didn't get a chance to ask and none of the vampires offered an explanation.

Godric didn't reveal anything in way of feelings. He was calm, unsurprised by the setting of the table. I hated being in the dark.

The only thing that was missing in front of me was the food.

"Ah, I see you waited for me. Splendid!" Russell said breaking the silence and much to my relief getting down to the business of signaling the waiting vampire staff straight away. "I hope you are hungry, Miss Hale. My chef delights in preparing formal meals, but alas doesn't get to indulge in his fancy as often as he would like. I believe he went all out for you tonight."

"Starved," I said simply, making the vampires chuckle as my attention drifted towards the waiter carrying my first course.

I wasn't sure what they served me, but it looked delicious. I barely restrained myself long enough to curiously look at the plates of red soup that were brought for the others. Russell gave me a smile as he picked up a spoon. "Enjoy your meal," he said.

Despite my hunger I was too curious about their meal to start eating mine. "If you don't mind me asking, what is that?"

He looked at the bowl in front of him, his eyebrows drawn together and took a delicate sniff. "I believe it is AB negative fused with rose incense. It may be female, but I cannot smell that, only taste."

I shouldn't have asked.

"Oh! Well. Enjoy." How my voice came out even I had no idea. I tried to find the enthusiasm about my food I had earlier, but I had a feeling it was lost forever.

Two more courses went past and while I enjoyed chicken and some sort of rocket salad with pomegranates and pine seeds while the vampires sipped on different types of blood. All of it rare. All of it human. All of it discussed with great enthusiasm by my host, since he thought I was just as interested in the other courses as I had been in the first. By the time they brought out dessert I was starting to feel nauseous from overly enthusiastically consuming my dinner, and his explanations.

Clicking heels echoed through the otherwise silent house, breaking into our conversation about Southern history. I had discovered that Russell had been King of the Mississippi vampires all the way through the civil war and having been raised by a Civil War enthusiast naturally was curious. He didn't seem to mind my questions so I asked plenty.

"Russell, he is still not talking," a petulant and all too familiar female voice interrupted.

Then I saw her.

My fork clattered from my hand the food staining the pristine white table cloth, no doubt yet another antique of some sort. I didn't get a chance to feel guilty about it; my attention was on the woman who walked in.

Lorena made directly for Russell, ignoring everyone else in the room.

Dimly I realized I felt Godric's worry as he too realized who came into the room, but I didn't pay any attention. Was he worried for me? Or was he worried she'd give us away? I had no idea. I didn't care.

I hadn't comprehended how much I still hated her until she was in the same room with me. All the feelings I thought I had put behind me: the hurt, betrayal and most of all anger hit me in the instance she came in.

I wanted to stake her.

Somehow, despite what Bill had done to me, my focus wasn't on him. She was the centre of my anger. Maybe because she had made him a vampire? Whatever the reason it wasn't rational, it was primal.

Russell wiped his lips with the linen napkin before he looked up at her. "I believe I told you to come to me if there was news, not when there aren't any," he said in his polite calm way. The all too charming façade not even moved by her obvious displeasure. "How is the fact that he isn't talking news?"

"I thought you should know anyway. I've been trying," she whined as she took a step back, looking properly chastised. "We need the girl. He has an unreasonable amount of affection for her." Blinking I realized the girl she was mentioning with so much venom in her voice despite the poor attempt at groveling was me.

I waited for them to look my way. They didn't.

"I thought you were capable of taking care of that."

"The little bitch has evaded my best trackers. I haven't heard from them for days," she snarled. I shivered at the malice, while trying not to breathe. If she saw me now…

My hand inched towards my knives. Would I have time to get it out? Would I even manage to kill her before she was on me? Would the others stop me? Would Godric help? I only knew the answer to the last question. He would. My faith in that was unshakeable.

"I'm sure you're a resourceful enough vampire to be able to overcome such a small obstacle. The girl's human how much trouble could she possibly be," he told her. "Miss Hale, do forgive me. This is Lorena, she is having some difficulty with her progeny."

I barely noticed the light behind his eyes since for the first time after entering the room Lorena became aware of my presence. I watched what felt like in slow motion as her beautiful face turned ugly with a snarl as she took in who had been sitting at the table all this time. "You," she hissed.

My hand closed around the blade, the hilt a familiar weight in my hand, giving me a measure of security.

"Hello, Lorena," I said in a flat tone. There was no need to pretend I was any happier to see her than she was to realize her target had been under her nose during the entire tirade.

Russell shifted in his chair bringing his hands together in front of him an amused expression filtering through the neutral features. "You know each other? Splendid."

"That's her! She's the one," she screeched with a long elegant finger pointed my way.

I felt more than saw Godric shift enough to give him room to maneuver should he need to move quickly. I hoped he would be fast enough. I hoped I would be as well. Russell's attention shifted to me. He seemed completely unsurprised. I wondered why, but with Lorena's fangs bared I didn't feel it was the right time to ask.

"So, you are the one Lorena's wolves couldn't find. Instead you found us all on your own. How very enterprising of you, Miss Hale." He paused, shifting back in his chair. The relaxed position so at odds with the tension in the room. "Godric, you're right. It would seem your pet attracts trouble everywhere she goes."

He _knew._

Godric chuckled. The sound wasn't his usually relaxed laugh, but it was not as tense as I expected. It made me want to ask a lot of questions. Like why they all played the ignorant game all this time? And it had been a game.

My fingers vibrated along the lines of the hilt under them. Betrayal simmered through my blood as I clamped down my shields so tight they became an almost a physical current along my skin. Godric slanted a glance at me which I ignored, unsure as yet what to do about him, them. They had known who I was all along. Godric had told them and let them amuse themselves at my expense.

Lorena hissed. I could see in her face the realization that she'd lost, the frustration of knowledge that yet again I was out of her reach. "I need her," she growled,all pretence at civility gone. My hand stayed on the knife, just in case.

Russell waved his arm in a dismissive gesture. "It would seem you have been outranked, my dear. You shall have to use other means to get the information out of your protégé," He eyed her. "Or are you such an inept maker that it is beyond your abilities to handle him?"

How easily he had shifted the blame on her.

She didn't respond for a long moment. It felt like minutes, but it would have been less, must have been. Finally her fangs clicked back and she bowed to the King all grace and femininity once more. "Of course. If you'll excuse me." She left the room before Russell even finished giving his permission.

I shifted in my chair uncomfortable from the encounter, unsettled from the strong rush of emotions her presence brought up in me, and definitely angry at my dinner companions for keeping me in the dark.

"I see you've had the pleasure of meeting Miss Krasiki, Godric. I'm assuming it was during her brief interlude in Dallas?"

Godric didn't even look my way before answering. "Yes, it would seem she had an unhealthy interest in my pet even back then. I had to forcibly escort her out of my nest and order her from my territory. I'm not entirely happy with her being in the same territory as Sookie again. I don't trust her to behave."

Russell's eyebrows went up. "You are implying I cannot control my subjects and guarantee peace for my guests?"

"She is your subject?"

Russell and Godric stared at one another. The silence became so charged, I couldn't breathe.

Surprisingly Russell broke it first. "No, she is not." All traces of civility were gone.

I struggled trying to understand the undercurrents of their discussion, couldn't in the end grasp all of them, although I doubt they had meant for me to understand.

"I trust your promise to protect myself and my pet. I do not, however, trust Miss Krasiki. She's tried to harm Sookie while inside my nest where Sookie had been an honored guest. By her own admission she has sent Weres to kidnap her. That vampire has no principles or morals. I believe you can understand my need for caution in spite of your assurances," Godric said smoothly and something in their exchange alerted me to the fact that there was a long history between them.

Silent communication passed between them before Russell broke away to look at me. "I see you have finished your meal, my dear. Shall we adjoin to my study so that we can have a private discussion." It wasn't a question.

I forced my lips to twist into a smile conscious of the effort it took me to do that. I knew it hadn't reached my eyes. "Yes, I believe I have. Thank you for such a lovely dinner, Mr Edgington."

"Please, call me Russell," he said smoothly as he got up.

I murmured my assent as I took in Talbot's surprised expression at his consort's words. It would seem that not many humans had the privilege of being on first name basis with the King of Mississippi, which begged the question: what the heck made me so special?

Godric walked over to escort me, and his arm reached towards mine. The look I sent him stopped him short of touching me. Worry clouded his eyes, the only indication of his feeling since my shields were so tight they slivered along my skin. His hand fell back to his side as he started to walk next to me. I felt my emotions boiling in me, the wall I put up earlier to control myself cracking under the pressure. I had to do something before it collapsed and broke my indifferent façade.

I screamed inside.

The scream raced in my blood, left my whole body twitching, causing my feet to misstep. A cool hand steadied me. I didn't want them on me then. Another silent cry shattered through me, louder this time. And this time pain not anger carved holes in my insides while I struggled to contain it all. I forced myself to move away, a jerky movement that had me almost colliding with another priceless antique table.

I focused on walking.

One step.

Two.

Three.

Breathing. In. Out.

By the time we were walking through the door and into Russell's study I had myself under control again. The pain and anger locked away tightly under impenetrable shields.

I headed for one of the couches, belatedly realizing that maybe I should have waited for Russell to sit, but since I hadn't been sure if my legs would hold me much longer I resigned to the break in protocol hoping the vampires didn't hold it against me.

I waited as they sat, relieved beyond words to be off my feet. Godric slid onto the couch next to me, making sure to keep his distance. Russell sat opposite and Talbot lounged gracefully in an armchair to my right. I swear it could have been made into a bad joke, if I had any humor left in me.

Conscious of three pairs of supernatural eyes on me I tried not to fidget under their scrutiny waiting to see what they would say. No way was I going to break the silence first.

"So, Sookie," Russell said after almost a minute. "I may call you Sookie, yes? Since I'm not sure which last name to use, you seem to have acquired more than one."

I cleared my throat. "Yes." After all it would just make things easier. "Hale was my Gran's maiden name."

"Ah." He nodded while his eyes assessed me.

"We agreed not to, how do you say, blow your cover? While we were at the club," Godric explained while regarding me with well earned caution. "It was not our intention to put you on the spot."

Russell smiled his charming smile and I knew that while Godric wasn't lying about his intentions, Russell had meant to do just that.

I nodded waiting for more.

"How is it that you are so remarkably at ease with all this," Talbot asked in a bored drawl, his arms flaying out in a flamboyant movement to encompass the room.

I blinked. I must be a better actress than I thought. "I wouldn't necessarily say I am at ease, maybe better able to handle such situations than most." Telepathy made a great crash course in handling almost anything.

Russell nodded in agreement, like he knew what I had left unsaid. "You are unique, my dear. Godric tells me in more ways than is obvious to our senses." I suppressed the temptation to glare at Godric while trying to come up with a suitable non-answer.

"So I've been told."

He leaned towards me. "Why is it that Lorena believes she needs you?" The question was asked carelessly, yet his demeanor betrayed how tense he was. Russell did not enjoy being played and especially if the playing was done by a female. I would have felt pity for Lorena in that moment if it wasn't for her hatred of me and her current plans to kill me. I wasn't even with Bill anymore for Christ sakes!

"Because she hates my guts," I said.

A smile ghosted his lips for a brief moment. "I gathered that, but it has to do more than just simple hatred."

I hadn't thought hatred could ever be simple. Petty sure he didn't think it was either I tried to think of something else to say.

"I believe it has to do with her uncommon attachment to her progeny and his lingering feelings for Sookie. Lorena doesn't like to share her toys, probably why she sent the wolves after Sookie." Godric supplied the answer for me, for which I was briefly grateful.

"Wolves?" Russell frowned. "Nothing else?"

I shook my head. "Not that I'm aware of. I've only ever seen her twice in my life. I can't imagine what I could possibly have done to her during those times since both were brief encounters." Tonight had been the third.

"I don't think that bitch needs an excuse to cause misery, Russell. I'm more concerned with these wolves under her command. She didn't tell us about them," Talbot said whilst examining his nails.

Not gaping was hard. I hadn't realized that the playboy attitude was just that and behind his pretty gay face was a brain.

The look Russell gave his consort was full of private thoughts and I found something of interest on the bookshelves in front of me while I tried hard not to blush.

Godric, of course, had no such problems. "You weren't aware of them then?" he asked.

"No, I had thought she was using more conventional means."

What the heck did that mean?

"It would seem she has been more enterprising than I gave her credit for." Russell mused. "I'm wondering how she managed to coerce them into working for her. Lorena isn't known for her stellar negotiation skills."

Something else he wasn't aware of seeing as those wolves very nearly kidnapped me.

"I have a question," I said gaining the attention of all three vampires. I waited for Russell to nod before proceeding, "Why did you let her bring Bill here? I mean no disrespect or anything, I just wanted to know. That's all. You just don't seem to like her very much either." My heart was in my throat.

I squirmed under his penetrating look. "A brain as well as looks, my dear, a rarity these days. No, I don't like her. I loathe her, but I owed her a favor and this is what she had asked as payment."

That made sense. Vampires hate owing anybody, especially other vampires.

"So it's not that you ordered her to get whatever information she's trying to get out of Bill?" I pressed.

I was sure that if I hadn't put my shields up so tight I'd have felt Godric's worry over my continuous luck for finding trouble.

Russell seemed to not mind the directness of my questions, or maybe he was waiting for me to trip?

"She had come to me with the information that Compton was doing a valuable project for your Queen. Providing a place for her to question her progeny didn't inconvenience me at the time and gave me the opportunity to perhaps acquire something another monarch wanted."

His scrutiny made me want to melt into the woodwork.

"I'm wondering now if she was telling the truth, or something to pique my interest and allow her into my house."

"It may be both," I told him.

"Do elaborate," Talbot drawled.

I glanced at Godric and he gave me a small nod to continue.

"Bill came to me just before Lorena brought him here. He mentioned that he wanted me to look after something; he didn't say what it was, but that it was important. I was to give it to Eric Northman if he never came back. I thought he was being dramatic and trying to get my attention. I didn't realize…" With an audible click I shut my mouth, rambling isn't pretty on anyone.

Godric took my hand into his squeezing it gently, the contact anchoring me despite my current state of mind. "It isn't your fault, ma petite. None of us had thought his obvious attachment to you would be a problem. Did he ever contact you after that night? Did he tell you where he hid the program?" He already knew the answer of course.

I shook my head.

"I think Sookie's right and the program he was making for the Queen is her secondary goal, so she wasn't outright lying about it, just bending the truth. Still it isn't something I like. Now, knowing which human she was after makes me even less pleased: she would have known who Sookie belonged to before even coming here."

So Russell obviously didn't want to step on anyone's toes, except for the Queen. It made me even more curious about the history between him and my vampires. "You wouldn't perhaps be a dear and dispose of her for me, Godric? I really do hate people trying to manipulate me."

It was a half-hearted question, asked with such ease that I almost choked on the little value this vampire placed on life. Granted it was the life of a vampire who wanted me dead, or worse, but that didn't negate the fact that Russell was just as much of a monster as the general public feared other vampire to be. And here I was sitting calmly discussing murder with him. What did that make me then?

"It isn't normally something I condone, but in this case I may make an exception," Godric said.

I swallowed. Of course, he was a vampire. I've seen him kill. Maybe it hadn't sunk in that night because I had other things to worry about or maybe because he had killed in order to protect me. Knowing that Godric had not always been opposed to violence and listening to him so casual condemn another to death made my chest hurt even though I knew my reaction was unreasonable.

"Did you know Ulrich is visiting our fair continent? I believe he's been enjoying Felipe's hospitality for the last month or so."

The words had barely left Russell's lips before I felt the fury of emotions crash against my shields, break them with such ease it was as though I hadn't had any. My arms went around my body as I tried not the get swept up in the storm. Dimly I heard my phone ringing; somehow I managed to get it out of my bag and press the button to answer it.

Eric's voice was filled with so much panic as he asked what happened. I whimpered, unable to answer. The emotions overwhelmed me. After a moment the phone was snatched from my hand relieving me of the need to try.

"They are fine, Sheriff. Although how you've managed to feel them all the way from Shreveport is an interesting question."

"_I was passing through your state, your highness."_

"Really? How fortuitous, and you didn't check in with me why?"

"_I didn't realize I'd need to since it was merely a quick one night visit to check on a few properties I own. What has happened to my maker and Sookie?"_

I heard Russell's chuckle at the flimsy lie Eric presented him with. "She is a delectable little thing. I can see why you would want to do check your properties while she is visiting here."

"_Russell." _ I heard the edge to his voice. I didn't need to see him to know just how worried he was to have overstepped this much.

"Now, now, Eric. It's not all that bad. I merely told your maker some news he didn't take well."

Eric didn't need long to connect the dots I had not known were there. "_Ulrich."_

"Yes, he is in the States, although not in my state. I believe that Godric is calming down."

If Godric did calm down I hadn't noticed. I was still shaking from the emotions that washed through me, mixing and amplifying my own.

"I didn't do anything to her, Eric. She is just overwhelmed."

"_You_ _fucking blew up hard enough to have me almost incapacitated and I am not next to you!"_

"Do you think I meant for that to happen?"

I noticed distractedly that the other two vampires were tactful enough to have gone into downtime.

"_I don't give a shit what you meant, you almost damaged me, I can't imagine what is happening to her."_

"Eric."

I unclenched my jaw and tried to find my voice. I didn't want Eric to get into trouble on my account; I've never known him to be this disrespectful. While I knew it would have been a problem if we were all at home, there was no privacy here. Downtime or not, I was pretty sure the other vampires could hear every single word of our little drama.

"I'm okay." The whimpered words didn't fool anyone though.

"_I'm coming to get you." _ This time I knew he was speaking directly to me, but Godric beat me to the answer, more aware of the fact that there was an audience that didn't know the full extent of my talents.

"No, we will stay here tonight, but I need you to procure a car for Sookie, it would seem Bill has outstayed his welcome here and is ready to be taken home."

I heard Eric mutter something in another language with Bill's name in between the foreign words. It didn't sound at all complimentary. A stupid laugh bubbled up my throat. Knowing my Eric I could just imagine what he was saying.

"Yes, we still have to make sure he gets home alive, since we need him to appease the Queen. It isn't my ass on the line here, childe. Get a car with a large trunk for Sookie, she will need it to move him out of the compound. You will meet her after dark and I will join you in Shreveport."

"_Is his Majesty agreeable then?"_

Godric looked at Russell. The king was in downtime, but there was a small smile flirting across his mouth.

"Yes."

"_It will be done. Tell her."_

I tried to formulate the question, find out what it was that he meant for me to know, but nothing came out.

* * *

_A/N Before you take out your pitch forks thinking it'll be another decade before I update I have news: the next chapter is already with my beta. It will be up sometimes next week. _

_I would love to hear from you guys; any thoughts, comments or just hellos are much appreciated._


	12. Chapter 12

_WoW! Guys, you are phenomenal! Let me just say I hadn't expected to get such a warm response after being away for so long. Thank you, thank you, thank you! It has been an absolute pleasure to read all your comments, and although I don't have time to reply to everyone I do appreciate all the feedback and love. I'm so very glad you are still following this story and still enjoying it as well, and want me to write more. _

_I would like to thank my betas MellyKen and BatshebaRocks. The girls are awesome! They make this story readable and enjoyable by checking it over for me._

_A quick heads up: this chapter is from Godric's POV. _

_Disclaimer: Godric is not mine, but I did have fun playing with him. _

Watching her pace around our guestroom was a small kind of torture. I knew she was not happy with me. That was an understatement given the way she had blocked me off earlier.

I was just grateful she had recovered from my outburst. I still had no idea how I managed to rip through the shields she put up, blocking our connection. They had been solid when I tried to breach them while we walked to the office. I had felt her waver at one point, but by the time I had my hand on her—the excuse being my helping her regain balance as she almost collided with a side table–her shields were more solid than before. Our connection was non-existent. I hadn't known that was possible. She had shut our bond down so completely that if I hadn't been walking right next to her I would have assumed she was dead or unconscious.

I had been so preoccupied trying to understand what happened with Sookie during our discussion with Russell, I didn't see it coming. He gave me no warning. Nothing. Russell had played his hand brilliantly, realizing that I was distracted by Sookie's mood.

Ulrich was here.

I had always known it would only be a matter of time until the news trickled down to him about my new interest; I knew my brother well enough to realize it would be impossible for him to stay away. I had hoped we would have more time to prepare for his visit, but time had run out.

She was mine. This time there was no possibility I would let her get away.

Two hours. We had been left alone in this room for two hours and she had yet to say a word to me.

Again she turned to make yet another useless semi-circle around the massive bed. The room, like all the other guestrooms in this house, was opulent. I expected nothing less of Talbot. While Russell tempered the boy's taste on occasion, more often than not he let him do anything he wanted. It was an indulgence that kept them both sane as they tried to balance their relationship with the responsibilities of running a state.

"What was he talking about?"

I blinked, focusing back on her back; she had not looked at me as she asked the question. I tried to read her, but for the thousandth time encountered the wall of nothing blocking our bond. A bond I craved to have back. Her emotions had become my anchor, my constant companions, soothing me when I felt the melancholy threaten to take me back to darkness.

"Who?" I asked, knowing the answer already, hoping the question would give me a chance to view her face.

It didn't.

"You know who, Godric."

I sighed. "Am I going to be talking to your back all night, ma petite? It is not a story I envisioned I would share in this kind of circumstances."

She whirled around then, fury all over her delicate features. I stopped a tremor running through me. The instinct to claim her then was strong.

"Really? I had not expected you to try and manipulate me. I had not expected that outburst. I had not expected to be left in the dark by you!"

Guilty.

"I am sorry."

She looked taken aback for a moment. "That's all you have to say?" There was hurt in her eyes. It ripped through me, seeing it in her face, reflecting in her eyes. I knew she hurt, but the truth of it was staring me in the face. I had hurt her. How would she ever forgive me?

I didn't look away. "It is all I have to offer you."

I couldn't tell her that Russell insisted on not saying a word to her. He had wanted to see her for himself, to play his games and I had no way of denying him that. This was not a conversation I could have with her in his home. Late, when we were alone in our own house I would beg if I had to. I would have to.

Sookie stepped closer. Not close enough for me to touch. She searched my face and for once I let her see everything I usually kept hidden in me, waiting for the inevitable, hoping for a miracle. At last she sighed, a defeated sound. Taking the few steps back she let herself sit down on the edge of the bed, bringing her knees up as her slim arms circled around them. She had changed into the nightgown Russell provided. It billowed around her in white folds of fabric. I felt my lust stir as I took in the sight of her framed by the elaborately carved bedhead. It had been too long, but now was certainly not the time for that.

"Tell me," she said.

I closed my eyes, trying to prepare myself for the pain of those dark memories. I was under no illusion they would hurt any less now than they did back then.

"Ulrich is my brother. My blood-brother. He is over a thousand years older than me."

"You hate him," she whispered.

I nodded, unable to voice the truth. The feelings I had for him ran deeper than that simple word.

"Why?"

"It had not always been so, I loved him once."

She sat there quietly, waiting for me to continue.

"We were close in the years after our maker made me; both of us too full of love for her to quarrel. That changed over the years. She began to favor me, unaware of what it would do to her older child, unable to see the jealousy that grew in him. It took centuries until she finally could not remain indifferent to his treatment of me, but by then it was too late. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, it was always too late. She should never have turned me."

Her eyes grew round. Shocked. "Don't say that."

"But it is true. He would never have tolerated another rival for her affections. It was just the way he was."

Sookie cocked her head to the side. "But that isn't your fault."

I nodded, acknowledging the truth. "No, it is not. Yet, I feel he may have turned out different if I hadn't come along. She would have kept all of her affection for him and he would have been content."

I watched her face as she thought about it. Her feelings so clearly reflected in her beautiful eyes. "What did he do?"

Memories surfaced. Things I didn't want to remember. Things I'd be telling her before the night was over. "He found his vengeance," I told her quietly.

"He killed her?" She mouthed. I was sure the idea was shocking to her having seen the relationship I share with Eric, and he, in turn, with Pam.

"No, he would never do such a thing; at least I don't believe him capable of it. But then who knows how the last millennia has changed him." I paused, thinking of our last meeting. Could Ulrich hurt our maker? Doubt rose in me. I had no idea. "He took someone dear to me and turned her into his own creature."

Sookie's eyes grew troubled. I watched understanding cloud them and a tear slip down her cheek. I felt the bond blossom between us as she calmed, felt a trickling of her feelings come through to me. My anguish had dominated our connection for the last of our exchange as she slowly comprehended the truth of things. There had been no need to hide it. I had not wanted to, she deserved to understand all.

I gathered myself, taking solace in her presence in me. My eyes focused on the pattern of the Persian rug which Talbot had no doubt argued to hang up on the wall behind the bed. I could not bear to look at her just then. Not while I shared this, it felt sacrilege to whatever had grown between us, but she had a need to know of it. A need I understood all too well.

It was time for her to know the truth.

I took another unnecessary breath making a last attempt to stall. Then it was time.

"Her name is Celestine. I met her in a Parisian ballroom and she was beautiful, full of life and laughter. I fell in love for the first time in my long existence…." I began and the words flowed from my mouth for hours after.

I told her everything, holding nothing back. Sookie listened. Occasionally nodding, gasping as I related the torture Ulrich had inflicted on Celestine, crying when I talked of what he had done to me.

"…by the time I came to the states I had been broken, a vampire in name only. A shadow.

"It took Mernieth to bring me back. She had heard of what happened, found me and stayed with me. She kept me from killing, as she had always known I had no liking for it. She kept me company when I would have rather wallowed in my grief. She insisted I take on responsibility, installing me as a Sheriff in Texas. Probably due to its proximity to Shreveport, you see, as by then Eric had already taken over that part of Louisiana. Mernieth believed that being close to my child would anchor me. She stayed with me for a few decades to make sure I wouldn't do anything stupid before wandering away."

I let myself remember the time I spent with my maker. She was a unique vampire. For all that she was ancient; she was still keeping up with humans, evolving with every century that passes. I would always be grateful for her being my chief influence, and yet I could not imagine—didn't dare to ask her—what had prompted her to make Ulrich.

"Did she do anything to Ulrich?" Sookie asked.

"No." I told her. "I asked her not to, after all, there would have been no point to it." She wouldn't kill her eldest, and torture would just make him hate me more.

"Where was Eric?"

"He had been busy making Pam, and afterwards left for America."

There were no more questions after that. There was nothing left to tell. I went into downtime, giving her space to process everything, giving myself time to lock away the memories again.

Soft fingers touched my face as I focused on her eyes, so blue and full of love she has yet to put a voice to. Our faces inches apart as she traced invisible lines on my cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you for sharing. I'm sorry for being angry before."

I grasped her hand in mine and pulled her onto me. She tucked her head under my chin as the rest of her wrapped around me. Finally experiencing relief, I savored the feel of her.

Placing a kiss on her hair, I wrapped an arm around her bringing her closer. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I overreacted. I should apologize a hundred fold for my poor control. I care…I love you too much…he…you can't imagine what would happen to me if he managed to get a hold of you as well. I would rip this world apart. I wouldn't care about the innocent lives in my way…you are everything to me, ma petite. Everything."

"I love you, Godric."

Color burst behind my eyelids as I closed them. I had known for a while, but for her to say those words now, just after what had happened…

Small hands cupped my face and I opened my eyes again to see a playful smile on her lips, lighting up her eyes. She dipped her head placing a soft kiss on my lips before pulling away again.

"Say it again," I whispered huskily.

Her smiled deepened. "I love you."

"Ma petite." I crushed her mouth under mine, putting all that I felt into our kiss. Enjoying the sweetness under my lips as I poured everything I felt for her between us. Her arms wrapped around my neck as she pressed her body closer to me. Her warmth spread through me where we touched. My hands pulled her gown up; I silently gave thanks to Russell for his choice of nightwear as I discovered naked flesh.

Smooth, soft skin covered in goose bumps as my fingers kneaded up her smooth thighs. She sighed as I shifted her to sit squarely on me, pressing her straight onto my erection. I needed to claim her, to lose myself in her.

She moaned as I rocked her hips. Arched when I moved my mouth down her throat, scraping my fangs where I wanted them to sink into her flesh.

"I love you," she whispered again.

There was no mistaking the meaning as her hands sought out the zipper. In the time it took her to free me I had disposed of the lacy confection that had been her underwear. I let my fingers discover how moist she was, nearly losing hold on my own lust as I did so. My mouth caught her answering moan as I dipped one inside her folds only to discover how wet she was already.

"I love you," she said again and this time I didn't hesitate, sheathing myself in her in one smooth movement as she gave a pleasurable scream.

"Me petite." I groaned at the sheer pleasure of being surrounded by her. "Tell me again."

She gave soft feminine chuckle as she answered my request. I lifted her, letting her body fall, reeling from the pleasure. "Again."

She did.

Again and again she said those sweet words as I moved her above me, until she couldn't say a word.

"…she is about to start negotiations." I heard Eric's voice as I opened the door to Russell's study. Sookie slept, exhausted after our efforts, and I had felt my child enter Russell's compound sometime ago.

"There must be some value in allying herself to such a weak state." Talbot said.

I had to agree with him, it was an unusual move even for her.

"Something we are not seeing."

Russell acknowledged me with a nod as I walked in and said, "Whatever it is, it couldn't be due to his influence."

"It could be exactly why, actually. Well, the lack of it could be the reason; she is looking for a pawn, not a contemporary." I told him sliding onto the couch I occupied earlier with Sookie. I already missed her, but this was business that wouldn't wait another night.

Eric cast me a glance that spoke volumes about what we'd be discussing next time we had privacy. I couldn't say I blamed him, aware of how much damage I could have caused her. That wouldn't be the only topic. Ulrich's presence in our country meant something. We both knew it. Eric was smart enough to figure it out without my having to tell him. He already knew all the specifics I had told Sookie earlier.

"You could be right, of course. How disappointing," Russell murmured oblivious to our exchange. "I had thought she would rather ally with someone stronger. This isn't the smartest move she's made."

I could have pointed out that she wasn't that smart at all, but didn't.

Eric rolled his eyes. "I don't believe the Queen is interested in allies, she believes that her kingdom is secure as is."

"Even with all those debts she keeps collecting?" Russell's eyebrows couldn't have gotten any higher.

It was true Eric's ruler had a predilection for decadence and no head for finance. It was a wonder her state had stayed solvent this long, and I was sure it had been partly Eric's work that kept it that way.

"Yes," I answered.

"Then she isn't as smart as we'd thought."

I leaned forward. "No. She isn't. But mostly harmless, I think."

He chuckled. "Compared to any of us, yes. She is too young to be a threat. I'd still keep an eye on her; such a young vampire with her greedy little hands on a throne could only mean trouble. Your little pet will catch her eye eventually, and then I'm sure she'll try to sharpen her fangs on your throat."

"She will try." My smile was cruel.

Eric coughed, for all the world showing discomfort at such frank amusement over his ruler. He was hiding his own laughter. Russell and Talbot weren't fooled much either.

"Now, why hadn't you said you were in town, Eric?" Talbot asked, pushing his lips in a pretty pout.

I knew why my child didn't want his presence known, as well as why the King's Consort would have liked it otherwise.

"I've been looking forward to your next visit and here you were hiding in the shadows."

"It wouldn't be prudent for anyone to realize I had left Shreveport." Eric told him. It was true; there had been more attacks on vampire businesses in the area. If it hadn't been such a necessity to return Compton we would have let Lorena have her way with him.

Talbot's pout didn't waver. "We could have had your company for several nights now."

"Now, now, my love. The Viking obviously wanted to revert back to the old days and pillage our kingdom in secret." Russell paused. "Pity you were caught."

Eric gave him a level look. "I chose to think of it as tactically outmaneuvered. Although, I would have preferred you hadn't used that news as a lure."

Laughter filled the room as Russell gave sound to his amusement. "But what would have been the fun in that, my boy?" Yes, of course, what would have been the fun in that?

"So, no repercussions for taking Compton back?" Eric asked.

"None. I'll put it round that I let you take him since he was useless to me."

I was curious why he would let off Bill so easily, after all Bill's been in his compound for a week, there was nothing to say Russell's people didn't torture him as well. I would be more inclined to think that they had so why so easy?

"And if we discover the program?"

"My loss, although I'm sure we could arrange something in the future."

I knew what he would want in return for Compton's blunder.

Eric's face looked impassive, but I felt his irritation echo mine. "I'm sure it would be possible. You will have to organize it with Sookie, she is in charge of her own schedule," he said.

Talbot looked surprised. "How very progressive of you."

"We try." My tone was dry. I wasn't sure if I wanted Sookie anywhere near these two in the next few centuries.

The door to the study opened and one of Russell's boys walked in with a tray. There were four glasses on it. "Ah! Our nightcap. Wonderful!"

I glanced at Eric fully aware that no matter what delicacy the King would tempt us with none of it could compare to the prize that slept upstairs. We were both spoiled, but we both knew we had to oblige the king. I took the glass off the tray and sniffed. AB negative, probably sweet as well.

"What did happen to Lorena's wolves?" Talbot asked as he sipped his beverage.

Eric scowled. "Dead."

Russell looked on questioningly. "You killed them."

"I did."

Both the Mississippi vampires stared in surprise. "You?"

"I protect what is mine."

"Ahh. Yes. The human," Russell said looking me over. "But then she isn't, is she."

Perceptive as always. I knew letting him taste Sookie had been a mistake.

"She is in part, and then other parts of her are not," I told him.

"What is she then, this little pet that has both your interests? I haven't seen you two so distracted in a long while." Russell asked carelessly.

Exchanging a glance with Eric I said, "She has relatives that will stop at nothing to protect her should we fail."

Russell frowned. "You threaten me?"

"We are answering your question." Eric said smoothly.

He thought about that for a moment. "You are aware I won't be the only one asking that question."

For either one of us to take a human was remarkable, for us to share…I knew what kind of attention that would garner. He had also confirmed my suspicions; he wanted easy access to the telepath. Why not let us off easy with a vampire he wasn't interested in if one could get unlimited access to a telepath as payment? He wouldn't, but he didn't know that yet.

"We are, but she is of no consequence unless she decides to meddle where she isn't welcome." Eric was never subtle in his intent.

We had declared our hand to Mississippi. If the Queen went against us, we would eliminate her.

_A/N Now, I know this is actually a pretty short chapter compared to what I usually post and I'm sure most of you will be curious to find out the details of Godric's story. Unlike my wordpress (which has cool chapter pics as well) I can't just put a nifty little link here. _

_So I will have to explain where to find it. If you've read up to here you have read the story already, but it was probably a while back. If you do want to check it out and do a re-read: Dying Love Chapter 8 is where you'll want to click next. It has been revised in places and beta'ed by my lovely ladies. Enjoy and I'll have a chapter for you all next week. _


	13. Chapter 13

_Thank you so much to all of you for the feedback. I love hearing from my readers._

_I'd like to say a huge big thank you to my beta ladies MellyKen and BathshebaRocks. They clean up my chapters and generally help me when I'm freaking out over a twist I wrote in that was not part of the plans (yes, that happens, a lot). _

_Disclaimer: I don't own nothing._

_Happy reading…_

* * *

Cool arms cradled me when I woke up and I let myself enjoy the feeling of being with Godric for the first time in days, for a moment imagining that I was back home, in our bed, and that everything was normal.

The warm sentiment didn't last long. As soon as I opened my eyes I was greeted with the opulence of the room that brought me back to reality. With a sigh I wiggled out of Godric's loose embrace and made my way to the equally luxurious bathroom.

The shower was heavenly, but as soon as I got out I faced a rather awkward problem. I had no clothes apart from the dress I wore last night. Putting that back on would feel like a bad case of the morning after walk of shame, so I sat on the toilet brushing out my wet hair as I thought of what to do.

"Godric…" His story filtered through my mind. The anguish that had flowed through him as he told me about his first love made my eyes water all over again. The anger when he had found out about Ulrich had left me almost catatonic, followed by his remorse when he realized how much it had hurt me. I knew he had deep emotions. I hadn't realized how deep they went though. He had shattered my shields so easily it scared me, and yet after his explanation I had understood. I felt his regret over hurting me; the shame that had come on its heels as Eric yelled at him had been what broke me out of the swirling vortex of his and my emotions. None of it had had anything to do with me, at least not directly.

Godric was very protective of those close to him. I now understood why he had so much invested in my security. All those times we'd fought, when I considered him unreasonable made sense. How didn't I see it earlier? Had his suicide plan been about this as well? Was Celestine—and I admitted to myself then and there something I hadn't wanted to think about last night: I was jealous of this woman—the reason for his wanting death. Had she been the one who'd changed his perception on life; or had that been Ulrich? There were too many questions that I was too much of a coward to ask.

He was still resting the way I left him when I came back into the bedroom. I moved closer, sitting next to him, searching the now peaceful face in front of me. Such a beautiful face, so innocent, how wrong looks could be.

Brushing an errant lock of hair from his cheek I kissed him and whispered, "I love you." I swear his lips curved a little, and I couldn't resist kissing them again. One thing I knew for certain was that he did love me. Sometimes that love smothered, sometimes it hurt, but always, always I felt cherished.

Discovering that my dress was missing and instead there was a neat pile of comfortable clothes was a pleasant surprise that solved the dilemma I'd had earlier. As I picked up the dark grey woolen jumper a note drifted to the floor.

_Lover,_

_ I thought it would be a nice surprise if I dropped of a change of clothes for you. You smell deliciously of sex and I cannot wait to ravish you. Slowly._

A shiver ran down by spine at the thought. I couldn't wait.

_As per our discussion earlier I have left the keys to the white sedan I have acquired on the dresser. It is parked near the old stables, which have been converted into a garage with barracks above it (and where I believe your package is located)._

I had to applaud his initiative; he managed to give me all the information I needed on how to go about finding Bill without giving too much away should someone else read the note.

_Be careful._

I snorted.

_I am sure Godric has told you a million times last night, but it bears repeating._

One million and one and counting.

_Lorena is old enough to be able to stay awake during the day, and although Russell is generous enough to let us get away with this, I do not believe he has made his intentions known to the bitch. I hate that you could be alone facing her, but neither one of us can be there to protect you during the day._

_If you need help, call the wolf. He has already been informed._

I thought about that for a moment. It was tempting to call Alcide. He was strong, mean and would make for great back-up, but he worked in this state. Russell gave us immunity on this; I wasn't sure how he'd react to Alcide's participation. Help was out of the question.

_I will meet you at his garage tonight._

_Take care,_

_E_

_p.s. Although the nightgown is lovely I prefer you naked._

Chuckling I looked myself over in the mirror, with a tug I tried to adjust the jumper dress that barely covered my behind. Eric must have gone past Alcide's place because this was one of the outfits Pam had packed for me, insisting it displayed my curves in ways I couldn't comprehend since I didn't have her fashion sense. Eric must have remembered I had worn my boots, but then again Eric was all about details.

I checked the blades, making sure I had plenty of room to get to them in a hurry. Naturally Eric had picked the outfit with that in mind, giving me freedom of movement and keeping me warm. They would need cleaning when we got home, but that was a thought for another day.

"I'm ready to go. Wish me luck," I said to Godric not really expecting a response from him. I gave him a last kiss, lingering over him while I inhaled his dry masculine scent and trying not to think how vampiric that was. With Eric's warning in mind I tried not to get too nervous about what awaited me, but just in case I wanted to make sure I got to say goodbye, even a silent one.

Keys in hand I went in search of the car Eric had supposedly parked somewhere on the grounds.

In the light of day the mansion was even more beautiful. A few humans walked around the ground floor and I was able to get directions. The guards at the front door didn't stop me, just nodded as I passed.

Russell was true to his word about giving me full access. It was one less thing for me to worry about.

The garage wasn't hard to spot seeing as the only other two structures on the property were too small to fit even half of a car. One being what I had to assume was a toilet or changing room near the covered pool, and the other a small shed that looked the worse for wear. Obviously gardening tools weren't on Talbot's priority list.

I noticed the white sedan Eric mentioned as the hedged path opened up to a clearing. It was parked right outside the doors, trunk facing the garage: very convenient.

Scanning the building while I checked the trunk space was enough to fit a vampire I saw Eric had thoughtfully provided refreshments for Bill. Three bottles of True Blood were nestled in the corner. I didn't think too closely on how Eric had managed to obtain a car in the middle of the night.

When I slipped through the door into the dim garage I stopped for a moment to let my eyes adjust. My heart was beating loudly enough to drown out any other noise and I waited, straining my ears to hear if there was anyone about. There were several bays on each side containing cars, ranging from the Cadillac to a Jeep. The last bay was walled off and I could just make out a door.

Bill must be there.

I heard raindrops splatter on the pavement behind me. Of course I had noticed the clouds when I came out of the main house, but I hadn't thought it would rain. I took that as a good sign. It would be easier to move Bill to the car with no direct sun. Making a mental note to find something to cover him with before we went out I closed the door behind me as quietly as possible.

I tried to walk silently through the garage, my boots still made a light clicking noise and it echoed, the noise too loud in my opinion. By the time I stood in front of the door leading to the room where I hoped Bill was being held my mind was running a million miles a second.

I tried to listen and see if there was anyone on the other side. When I heard silence I risked turning the handle, opening the door slowly in the hopes that the hinges had been well looked after.

What I saw on the inside made my stomach turn so hard it took all my strength not to gag. There were stains all over the floor, leaving no doubt that while Russell may have let someone else use this room this time; he had obviously used it before many, many times. There were all sorts of instruments on the walls I had no idea the use of and no inclination to examine more closely.

In the middle of the small space sat Bill. My vision misted. For all the betrayals, and the hurt he'd caused me, I hadn't expected this. He looked defeated. His normally white complexion was grey, his cheeks sunken underneath the still open gashes on his face. A collection of silver chains wrapped around his torso had eaten so far through his skin that I could see bone in more than a few places.

His eyes were closed and if he hadn't been a vampire I'd have thought him dead.

Sliding one knife out of my boot I inched my way across the floor. "Bill," I whispered.

His head jerked to the side as he slowly opened his eyes, fear clouding them. He must have thought it was his tormentors returned, not a rescue party. When his nostrils flared, recognition lit his eyes.

"Sookie?" His voice was hoarse.

"Shhh," I told him as I circled him to see how the chains were secured. There was a lock at the back of the chair, but where was the key?

He tried turning his head to look at me. "What are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you, of course. Where is the key?" I asked shuffling to the side so I could see his face.

He blinked slowly. I fought to stay calm while waiting for him to explain its location. "Door," he rasped and moved what seemed to be the only unbroken finger.

I followed to where he pointed. Next to the door behind him was a key on a hook. I was pretty sure that behind that door lay trouble so I tried to be whisper quiet as I retrieved it.

The lock made a satisfying click as it opened and I prepared myself for the gruesome task ahead. "I'll have to take these chains off. I'm sorry for hurting you," I whispered next to his ear. I think he gave a grunt in response, at least it sounded like one.

I worked slowly, carefully trying not to take off too big a chunk of flesh as the chains came away from his skin, but that was nearly impossible. He must have been chained the whole time he'd been here and there was no way to do it painlessly. Tears slipped down my face as tried to free his left shoulder; the chain had eaten away muscle there. Bill stayed stoically quiet throughout the process, only occasionally flinching as I pulled too much raw meat.

"You!" Someone hissed behind me.

I felt a shock of electricity run through me in the time it took me to whirl around, my hand reaching for the knife I had left on the floor and the other hand slipping out the second knife clear of its sheath. I crouched ready for anything as I tamped down the anger over my own carelessness. I'll get the chance to berate myself later, if I survived this.

Lorena stood in the doorway to the room. Her usually impeccable hair was all over the place. Last night's makeup stained her cheeks and her clothes were rumpled. She hissed as she took a wobbly step towards me, scanning the room to see if we were alone. "He is mine, you bitch!" she shrieked as she launched herself at me.

I was too busy jumping out of her way to contest her statement. I could have said that I wasn't interested in claiming Bill, though I doubt she'd have believed me. Maybe that she could have him as after the Queen had whatever it was he was working on. Either way by the time I landed, hard, on my side, I was too busy scrambling onto my feet to care.

I had just enough time to move my arms, positioning the knives in front of me when she jumped at me again. This time I didn't move out of her way. I stayed, feet planted firmly as she flew, fangs out, nails at me.

After that everything happened in slow motion. My arm moved up as the blade came into contact with her skin, while her nails dug into my shoulders. I saw her skin part like butter; felt her claws retracting from my skin as she staggered back. She tried in vain to hold her stomach together while bits of internal organs filled the gap around her hands.

My knives are sharp. Apart from the clean stab that had killed the Were that attacked me, I've never actually cut anyone before, and the realization of how easily I could have injured my friends during our training made my head spin. It could have been all the blood seeping out of Lorena, but I wasn't about to get into a debate over the reason.

Her scream was a mixture of pain and anger when she realized what happened. It was too late. My other knife was already sliding smoothly in between her ribs; just like the time I'd practiced with Lexie, only this time I let it slide all the way in, twisting it once it reached the heart.

Then her eyes went dull, like a light switched off somewhere inside, she was still staring into mine but without the hatred in them. I let her fall in front of me, careful to slide the knife back out as she crumpled onto the floor.

Bill's eyes went from the thing in front of me to my face, expressionless. I wished I knew how he was feeling. I had just killed his maker. I wasn't sure why I cared.

There was an old towel on the bench next to me and I used it to wipe away the blood before sliding the knives back. I tried to pretend my hands weren't shaking while I did that, tried to keep my stomach from emptying too. Tried to think that this wasn't the second time I've killed in less than a day.

I was sure all those thoughts would haunt me for a while.

"Are there more of them?" I whispered as I looked back at Bill.

He shook his head, eyes averted. And just then I could read the expression on his face. This wasn't the Sookie he'd come to know. This Sookie was not the nice innocent girl who worked at a bar in a small town. She wasn't the virgin he'd fooled. I wasn't sure myself who this Sookie was yet, but I don't think Bill had expected her to come to his rescue.

I closed my eyes, concentrating, while I scanned to see if anyone would be coming to Lorena's rescue. My shoulders tensed as I brushed across three minds upstairs, but after a moment realized from their thoughts that none of them were interested in investigating. They'd been given orders not to intervene. That didn't stop them from being curious about what happened.

We had minutes left.

"We have to hurry," I told Bill as I took off the rest of his chains with less care than before. He hissed, but the pain didn't matter right now if we were caught and the guards decided to disobey their orders. Who's to say they couldn't blame my death on Lorena?

Bill's eyes fluttered closed again and I took hold of his shoulders, careful of the open wounds, to shake him. "Bill, you have to stay awake. We've got to the car."

I shook him harder when his eyes stayed closed.

There was a coat hanging on the wall behind him and I grabbed it, feeling slightly guilty for stealing. Wrapping the coat around him as carefully as I could manage I pushed him up on his feet, one arm around my shoulders for support. Boy, he was heavy.

"Come on, Bill, I can't carry you," I whispered.

We made slow progress, the garage seemingly twice as long on our way out. Bill could barely move and I started cursing at him with all the nasty words I'd learnt during the time I worked in the bar. I made sure to let him know exactly how I felt about his betrayal and that if he wanted any hope at all for me to forgive him he would move—that was by far the most effective tactic and I felt a tug at my heart that he still wanted me. By the time we got to the door I was exhausted, my adrenaline all used up during the fight. "It's only a little bit further, but we'll be outside, Bill." I warned him as I re-adjusted the jacket. Lucky for us it had a hood and I tried to tug at it to cover as much of Bill's face as possible.

He moaned as the door slid open. Light hit us and I could hear his skin starting to sizzle. Jesus! At least it was still raining which meant there was almost no chance for direct sunlight getting anywhere near Bill.

Thank goodness the car was close to the entrance and I thanked Eric's forethought as we stumbled to it. I'd left the trunk open earlier, so I let Bill fall straight in before re-arranging him so I could close the lid.

It took me several tries to get the key into the ignition; my hands were shaking that badly. Afterwards I took a minute to just breathe as the car idled loudly.

I not only rescued Bill, but killed his maker. The bitch was dead. I felt an odd moment of jubilation, but it was brief. If I hadn't been feeling sick over the puddle she left on the floor I would have been happier. As it was, I was going to have a hard time not dreaming about today in the next few months.

Would Russell care if I left Lorena on the floor? Would the guards call ahead to the gates as they came to check what had happened? I debated going back and trying to hide her body, what was left of it, but the decision was taken out of my hands. The minds I had listened in on earlier were already moving downstairs.

I didn't hesitate, taking the car out of neutral and speeding down the long drive towards the gates all the while throwing panicked glances in the mirror.

I barely noticed how beautiful the front of the house was or the picturesque driveway as I drove on my way towards freedom. This was the last hurdle. I was almost sure I would have no problems here. My heart was beating frantically anyway.

By the time the gates loomed ahead of me I've managed to get myself all worked up. When the guard came out of the small house next to the gates without opening them my heart sank into my boots. Busted.

"Morning, ma'am. Can I have your name, please," he said in a gruff voice.

I smiled the craziest smile. "Sookie Stackhouse, sir."

He nodded before signaling to his partner to open the gates. "Have a pleasant day."

Just like that. It had been that easy.

"Thanks," I said as I closed my window again, waited for the gates to open and drove out.

I discovered a few blocks away from the compound that I was completely lost. And although I knew that Russell's place was a little way out of Jackson I had no idea which way that was, or how to get back to civilization. It took me ten minutes of aimless driving to find a gas station, which I pulled into despite the fact that my tank was full.

Belatedly I checked over my clothing to make sure there weren't any blood-stains. There were a few, but thanks to the dark color of the jumper and leggings none of them could be identified.

When I walked into the small shop attached to the gas station I turned towards the drink's fridge, grabbing a can of cold coffee and a chocolate bar on the way to the counter.

There was only one other car parked. I watched as the middle-aged woman put fuel into the tank, completely unaware she was just feet away from vampire.

"Any gas?" The question startled me.

I tried to smile at the young man behind the counter. He was thinking I looked like shit for someone who drove such a nice car. "No, just these, thanks."

He scanned the coffee and chocolate and I asked him for directions back to Jackson. It turned out I was already on my way there. I prayed my memory would be good enough to find Alcide's apartment building once I was in Jackson.

There weren't that many four story buildings in the capital of Mississippi and after a few wrong turns and dead ends I managed to pull up to the garage with a sigh of relief. It didn't last long as I spied the guard. I'd forgotten all about him.

"Hey there! How are you?" I said in my most cheery voice as my window rolled down.

The guard smiled. "What can I do for you, ma'am?"

I felt the Crazy Sookie smile widen. "Well, you see I had to borrow a car, and I guess I need a visitor's pass or something. Alcide said he'd take care of it, but I haven't seen him since last night, so I'm not sure if he talked to you or not." I blink a few times for good measure. Blonde and stupid usually worked.

He didn't look very convinced; I could tell he was trying to place a name to my face. "My name's Sookie Stackhouse. I'm staying with Alcide for a while." I added, trying to help his memory along.

I wasn't sure if it was my blonde routine or maybe he actually remembered me, but he waved me through after giving me a sticker and letting me know all about how to obtain a permanent pass. I hoped I wouldn't be back here ever again after today to need it.

I drove down the ramp slowly, heading straight for the darkest part of the undercover garage. Once parked, I finally knew I'd made it. I was sure Bill was going to be okay now and tonight we'd all get to go home.

I thought I saw Alcide's pick-up truck as I drove in, but when I glanced in the mirror it was too dark to make anything out apart from the general outline of cars.

This was as far as we'd planned. What to do now? I was tired from the late night, shaky from the adrenaline and coffee, and unable to believe what I'd actually done. Sure Russell had cleared more than a few hurdles out of my way, but I was pretty sure I'd gotten very lucky.

Though I would have loved nothing better than to go upstairs and sleep until the sun set, I knew I wouldn't be able to fall asleep knowing Bill was alone here. What if something happened? What if he woke up before I came down and—God forbid—drained someone? I just couldn't risk it.

The car was warm when I killed the engine, the heater had been on the whole time I was driving, and I curled up.

Hours had passed by the time I woke.

The car was cold by then and my body stiff. I opened the door and got out to stretch.

Whoever the car belonged to hadn't bothered to set the clock so I was lost in time. A glance at the entrance told me it was still light, but as it was still overcast it was hard to tell exactly how much daylight was left. I knew I had left Russell's compound sometime early afternoon and it had taken me a good long while of driving around Jackson to find Alcide's apartment block. Was he home?

I didn't have my mobile to find out, my clutch from last night had been too small for it and I hadn't seen the need to carry it with me. The night was supposed to have been spent in the safe company of a burly Werewolf who was going to protect me. Yeah, right.

My thoughts drifted to Bill. He was in a bad way I was sure he'd need plenty of blood before he looked anything like his old self. Curiosity to check whether he was okay won over and with another glance at the dwindling light I went to open the trunk.

I'd parked the car so the trunk faced away from the entrance, just in case. After twisting the lock and hearing a soft noise as the mechanism clicked open I pulled the key out.

It was hard to see inside, even with my enhanced vision the garage was dim, and the trunk was almost pitch black. Leaning in I tried to move the hood of the jacket to see if Bill was healing. That's when it happened.

A push on my shoulder sent me flying in and on top of Bill. A shove made sure my legs were in before the lid banged shut. My head reeled for a moment, panic setting in as my eyes tried to find some light to see with, but couldn't.

I wasn't proud of how long it took me to calm down. Even worse; it took me longer to remember my apparently not so useless new talent.

It wasn't as difficult to keep my breathing regular after I let my shields fall and the cabin filled with soft white light. Amazing what a little illumination can do for your spirit. It wasn't as strong as a lamp, but it was better than nothing, so I saw no reason to complain, at least about that.

It must have been Debbie.

In my panic I didn't get a chance to check, but who else could it have been? She was the only one who knew where I was in Jackson and had a grudge against me. Well, there was Lorena, but I was pretty sure vampires couldn't come back from being puddles. I wondered if Alcide and Debbie made up last night, maybe the full moon helped them mend their relationship. A shudder ran through me when I tried to picture the manipulative bitch with him. Alcide was too good for her.

I had other things to worry about.

I shifted a little and re-arranged Bill as much as possible so at least I wasn't lying on top of him. After checking all the sides I could see plain as day that I was stuck until someone opened the trunk from the other side. Without keys that someone would have to be supernaturally strong. I hope Eric found somewhere close to die for the day.

A sharp knee in my thigh reminded me of Bill.

In my worry over the rescue I hadn't considered him. I shivered, skin growing cold as my addled mind put the pieces of this puzzle together. Bill in his injured state would need blood. I was the only logical, easy source. Even if I could get my knives out, unless I was prepared to kill with them, they were useless. Bill had been starved all week; true death was the only way he'd stop.

Panic set in.

My feet pushed against the side of the car as I tried to stretch. My head collided with the bottles I stashed earlier. "Thank you, Eric," I breathed in prayer.

Getting to the bottles took me a few awkward minutes of maneuvering, but I felt hope as nestled the last one against my stomach, where I could easily get to it. Grabbing the keys from my pocket I opened the lid, grateful for the extra strength I had.

"Bill, I hope you can drink this stuff while you're dead. I refuse to be your dinner tonight," I told him as I slid the hood off his face.

There was enough room for me to half lean above him as I carefully dripped some of the red liquid into his mouth. I waited. Nothing. Yet, nothing came back out either.

I let a poured a little more between his lips, this time seeing a small bob of his Adam's apple. My smile was so wide my face hurt.

Slowly I poured the rest of the bottle, being careful not to spill any, and then another. I watched as the smaller wounds closed and the bigger gashes started to look better the more blood I poured down his throat. I hoped like hell it would keep him from biting me.

The last bottle just touched Bill's lips when I felt him come alive under me. My hand froze, the bottle inches from his mouth as I stayed still waiting to see what he would do.

Bill moaned and his eyes opened.

"Bill, it's me, Sookie!" I shouted as his arm clenched around me in a vise grip. "Drink this, please." I shoved the opened bottle in his mouth, not caring if I spilled any blood. Some of it had dripped on Bill's face and I felt dampness soaking the sleeve of the jumper on the arm that was holding me up. I didn't care. Bill latched onto the bottle with a hunger I have never seen, all the while his eyes boring into mine without a hint of recognition. And with every gulp he made the truth I could see so clearly in his unseeing eyes clearer. My heart beat faster, no doubt making me more appetizing to him. My fear, no doubt, made the trunk stink which wouldn't have helped matters, but I was powerless to stop the feeling taking complete control of me. He was going to bite me regardless of my efforts.

"Bill, its Sookie. Please, don't bite me. I'm your friend, remember? Please!" My voice cracked. Tears clouded my vision as I watched the blood empty from the bottle. God, Eric where are you? "I'm Eric's and Godric's remember? They won't be happy if you bite me. I won't be. I'll be angry! I need you to focus—"

It had been for nothing. All of my begging wouldn't have saved me in that moment. I knew one thing that could have, but after going to so much trouble trying to save him I wasn't about to be the one to deliver Bill his final death.

It hurt like hell and I screamed. He hadn't bothered with any niceties as he ripped into my neck. No matter how much stronger I had gotten over the months of training, and sharing blood with two ancient vampires—none of it helped me against Bill completely overcome by bloodlust.

Sobbing I continued to plead with him, trying hard not to struggle. Struggling would only have encouraged him more. I saw my light go out as he let out a satisfied grunt. Closing my eyes to block out the darkness, I tried desperately not to think about his hands groping my body, as he continued to drink from me. All the while I pleaded for him to stop. Why wouldn't he stop?

I felt him fumbling with my clothes; fear left me as anger boiled beneath the surface. I was not going to let him do this to me. Suddenly, I couldn't care less if he died now. I didn't care about all the effort and danger I'd put myself through for him; he was not going to do this to me.

I shoved him with all the strength left in me, letting out a small scream as his fangs ripped through my skin on their way out. I didn't care about the damage. "Stop!" The scream was guttural, primal.

He growled at being denied. Hissed as I tried to block his hands from getting to their destination.

The light from inside me blazed again, brighter than before; at the same time I smelled burning skin. Suddenly, Bill was off me and I was staring at the dim concrete ceiling of Alcide's garage.

I breathed.

Noise brought me back to reality. I heard a roar that sounded familiar and despite my dizziness I fumbled to find the edge of the trunk to pull myself up.

Eric had Bill against a pillar, one hand around his throat the other poised near his heart. "No!" I tried to yell "Eric! Please!"

I thought he wouldn't hear, wouldn't listen; even to my ears the cry had been more of a hoarse whisper. And to be perfectly honest if I was still in danger I'd have been all for him ripping Bill into little pieces.

"Did he drink from you?" Eric asked not moving his hands off Bill. I've never heard his voice so dead. There was no way Eric could have missed all the blood. He was asking just to prove a point.

Bill must have come around because his face held all the guilt and fear he was feeling just then as he glanced at me. He didn't resist Eric at all, just hung against the column ready for his funeral. Good. I didn't have it in me to feel sorry for him just then. But I also didn't have want him dead because of me.

"Yes," I whispered.

"Anything else?" He couldn't even bring himself to say it. I didn't blame him. I could barely think about what could have happened.

"No. Please, Eric, I'm bleeding," I whimpered, the pain of my wound finally breaking through my shock.

He was in front of me in an instant, blocking my view of Bill falling to the ground. He must have done, I heard the noise echo across the cavernous space. Eric's hissed, giving me an impressive show of fangs when he saw the jagged hole in my neck. I knew it wouldn't be pretty, having felt the damage as it was being done. From his expression I guessed it was even worse than it felt.

After a brief pause he looked at my face, his eyes softened just a little as he did so. "Can I move you?"

"Yeah," I whispered, grateful for the assistance, wanting to get out of the trunk of this damned car.

I didn't pretend it didn't hurt, even though Eric tried to be as gentle as he could when he lifted me out. He cradled me gently, slowly adjusting his hands to have easy access to my neck. When he started licking the wound I whimpered. Eric's arms tightened a little, but he didn't stop.

The irony of the situation didn't escape me as I tried to stay still while Eric cleaned and healed me again. It was the second time Eric had rescued me in the last two days.

Burrowing my face in his shoulder made me feel safe for the first time since I'd left Godric that morning. I tried not to make too much noise, didn't want Bill to know how much he hurt me. It was a matter of pride for me. I knew I couldn't have fooled Eric so easily, he felt every stab of my pain.

I felt my skin knit together, with the amount of blood I had from Eric the other night I wouldn't need another dose to heal, thank goodness. Who knew what that much vampire blood could do to my mutated genes?

Bill hadn't tried to move from where Eric had thrown his body. When Eric shifted his hold on me and I could see around his shoulder, I saw that Bill's eyes were red. It didn't make me feel better to see him cry.

"Lover, please try and stay out of trouble there is only so much blood I can give you," Eric whispered in between licks. I sighed remembering the promise in his note from earlier as his ministrations turned decidedly more lascivious now that he was sure I was out of danger. I let myself feel safe and secure, loved and cherished for a just a moment before I had to acknowledge that I wasn't at all interested in anything sexual.

"Honey, do you think we could continue this later?" I whispered after a while, stifling a wince when I tried to crane my sore neck. It may have stopped bleeding but it sure hadn't stopped hurting.

He stopped at once, burrowing his face in my now clean—though I was pretty sure still scarred—neck, before facing me. "I will avenge this," he said in a grave tone that made my toes cold. I had no doubt he would do just that.

"But—" I didn't get a chance to finish when I heard a familiar voice echo Eric's sentiment.

"It will be done," Godric said as he stalked towards Bill.

My jaw clenched. "I did not go through all that trouble so you two could kill him!"

Godric barely glanced at me; his face—fangs and all—was turned on Bill. "He hurt you, ma petite. You are ours. We will have retribution."

There he was, claiming me again. Sure, I may have understood his point of view better now, that didn't mean I would be happy with his proprietary actions. If anyone should be avenging anything it should be me. "Retribution my behind, Godric, this wasn't his fault."

Eric shook me a little to get my attention. "Sookie, there is always a choice. We are not animals." He glared in Bill's direction. "Despite what some of us choose to use as an excuse."

I didn't have a comeback to that. Was Eric right and Bill could have controlled himself? He hadn't looked like he knew what was happening, or who was with him. Would he have done the same to a donor? The idea didn't sit well with me.

"You won't kill him," I stated quietly after a few minutes of charged silence. "Promise me that you won't."

Godric looked pained for a moment, but gave me a nod.

"Let me down," I said to Eric who still didn't give me an answer. "Please, Eric, I'm okay now." I added when he didn't budge. It was an outright lie; we both knew that. I was still weak from blood loss and my neck hurt every time I breathed, but I knew I had a better chance of winning this argument standing on my own two feet.

Reluctantly he lowered my feet to the floor, but didn't completely let go of me as I tested out my strength. I was grateful, despite the fact that we were at a standoff. When my head stopped swimming I cupped his face forcing him to look at me, there was death written in his eyes. "Please, Eric, I don't want him to die because of me. I already killed today; I don't want another death on my conscience."

His eyes widened and, despite his mood, warmth flowed in them. "Who did you kill, my little Sookie?"

I cocked an eyebrow, trying to imitate one of his more infuriating, albeit endearing looks. "Lorena."

Eric threw his head back and laughed. It was a beautiful sound that made me smile despite myself.

"Well done, ma petite." Godric said. He was just as proud of me, if not as amused by my new apparent bloodthirstiness.

"You are full of surprises. I want to hear this story when we have more time and you've recovered." Eric kissed me soundly. "I will not kill the maggot, for now."

And that was all I could ask of him. I knew full well that neither of them promised not to hurt him.

"Can we go home, please?" I asked, sick and tired of Jackson.

Godric put his hand on my shoulder as he came to stand behind me. I let myself lean back savoring the feel of them both.

"I don't see why not. We will get your things from Alcide's pen first," Eric said.

Sniggering I said, "Pen? Really, Eric, that's not very nice."

He clenched his jaw as he propelled me towards the elevator. "I am not nice."

Crazy laughter bubbled up in me as they ushered me inside the small cabin.

* * *

_A/N I hope you liked my twist on things. Let me know what you think. _

_Xxx Mavrosal_


	14. Chapter 14

_So I'm posting this chapter a little early, purely because I'm bribing…_

… _The next chapter is kind of finished, but…I am thinking of writing an in-between chapter…that is to say one from a different POV that fits after this one but before the next Sookie POV chapter. No, not telling which POV it'll be, surely you can guess whose is still missing from this installment in the Dying series?_

_Anyway, while I have a plan for it, I still need to write it, which I'm not sure when I can manage since I think I'm working the whole weekend. That's good and bad, if we're busy I won't be able to write, if not, well, I may actually get something finished._

_Now, I'd like to address one point before I let you continue reading: you guys are soo bloodthirsty! Seriously! I love it! Not sure if I'm going to be able to live up to the expectations of killing off all the bad guys, but I will try to get to at least some of them. Yes, Bill will get some form of punishment, but do you guys really think Sookie would be okay with the boys torturing him for days? Do you think she'd be okay with herself for letting them do it? Yes, Debbie will get what's coming to her. Yes, —oh, wait I haven't gotten further than just those two…yet. ;)_

_Suffice to say, there will be punishment handled out. Now, as you read this please bear in mind that in approximately two chapters there will be light…*cough*…. I mean lemons. Just a heads up on that. _

_As always thank you for your feedback, it is much appreciated; torture method suggestions would be too if any of you guys have ideas, feel free to pass them along. _

_Enough rambling._

_I take my hat off to MellyKen and BatshebaRocks: they take the time to weed my writing of all the stupidity I tend to inflict on the English language on daily basis. Any mistakes are my own and were done because I couldn't help but fiddle after I got the chapter back (the a/n are not beta'ed)._

_Disclaimer: The characters are not mine; I just think up different trouble to through at them and play out what happens. Thank you to C Harris and TB crew for letting us play with their work._

* * *

Eric went back downstairs—I assumed to talk to Bill—once he was satisfied I was 'safe' in Alcide's apartment. I doubted he would be civil, but I also knew he'd stick by his promise not to kill Bill. He was Bill's Sheriff and, as much as I hated the term, I was Eric's and Bill had bitten me. That would have been more than enough to have Bill punished for his disobedience. I wasn't all that certain if it warranted a death sentence, but from the reactions earlier I suspected it did.

I was pretty sure such a punishment would sound drastic to most people, after all we don't generally go around giving out death sentences to dog and cat killers, but this was different. In this case the 'pet' was human, and I was pretty sure I was very, very lucky to have survived the experience.

Another shudder ran through me at the thought I might not have been sitting here if it wasn't…well, if not for a few things. I focused on the room I was in and the here and now to get away from those thoughts.

Alcide had the look of a kicked puppy when Godric filled him in. I knew he was feeling guilty for leaving me last night; unhappy to be hosting vampires in his apartment; and wondering when we'd all go home so he could see Debbie again. That last bit rankled. We weren't exactly on best-friend basis, but I thought that we had at least reached a certain level of friendship.

Debbie had been a bitch to me in Club Dead, she hadn't been much better when it came to Alcide, so why he decided to change his mind was beyond me. And anyway, wasn't she engaged to someone else?

"So, did everything go well last night?" I asked him, trying very hard not to sound bitter. Alcide wasn't the one who threw me in the trunk. It wasn't his fault she almost killed me today. It wasn't helping me stay completely neutral on the subject, since he was the direct cause of her actions.

He blushed under the beard and I knew he was trying to figure out if I'd read his mind or not. "Sure. It was a good run." His voice was gruff.

I didn't check, but I had the feeling he was thinking of more than his playtime in the woods. "That's good." I gave him a meaningful stare to let him know I was onto him. While it shouldn't be any of my business who Alcide slept with, Debbie had made it my business after today.

"Here, drink this," Godric told me as he held a cup.

It didn't look at all appetizing.

I grimaced as I took a sip. He tried to tamper the taste of True Blood by mixing in some apple juice; I'll have to tell him later that the resulting mixture wasn't that much of an improvement. I didn't have the heart to mention it to him just then. I was grateful enough for the effort to drink without complaining.

Godric settled on the couch across from me. "Did you find out anything about the Weres Lorena employed?" he asked Alcide.

This was news to me. As far as I was concerned I had been Alcide's only assignment in Jackson.

"They aren't a talkative bunch here in Jackson, but from what I gathered the wolves were from Arkansas."

Godric leaned back on the couch, a frown on his face. "Arkansas. That is interesting."

What was so interesting about Arkansas I wondered? Of course, I kept my mouth shut; I'd get my chance to ask him later.

"Yeah, well, I'm just glad everyone's okay after last night and today," Alcide said.

He looked uncomfortable as he tried not to watch me drink, but his eyes kept going back to the cup. He was also thinking all sorts of nasty things I didn't deserve and my patience ran out.

"Sure, it could have been worse. I could have been drained," I told him trying to sound matter of fact about my brush with death. My hands shook again and I squeezed the cup, afraid I would drop it. The light on my skin was pulsing as I struggled to hold everything in, my shields sporadic. "Debbie might not associate with vamps, but she sure likes drinking their blood—"

I wasn't sure that was true but the person who pushed me had been strong, and not Were strong. It was more of a Were on V strong.

"That's not true, she quit," he growled.

"And you know what else she is? A suicidal bitch." He tried to interrupt again, but I shut him up with my next question. "Wanna know who locked me in the trunk, Alcide?"

His face shut down. Yes, I knew what it felt like to realize the person you loved was not who you thought they were. It hurt like a son of a gun.

"You sure?"

"Oh, yes. Her scent is all over the car. You're welcome to go sniff," Eric said scornfully, confirming my statement, as he strolled into the living room. He scanned my face after sitting on the couch next to Godric. "You're looking better."

After giving Eric a grateful look for his support I decided to let Alcide think over what he'd just learnt. You wouldn't need to be psychic to tell he was in for some stormy weather in his future. "How do you guys stomach this stuff?" Not for the first time amazed by the disgusting taste of True Blood.

Eric sighed theatrically. "With great fortitude."

A smile hovered on my lips as I enjoyed the humor in his eyes. Things felt normal for just a moment.

"Are your things packed, ma petite?" Godric asked.

I glanced towards the door that led to my temporary room, trying to remember what if I had put everything back into my bag last night. It felt like a year had gone by since then. "They should be."

Godric got up and went to get my suitcase.

I tried getting up as well so that I could wash the cup out, but Alcide plucked it out of my hands before I could. "I'll do that," he said.

I sat back down gracelessly, but grateful. "Thanks."

He mumble something in return that made Eric snort as he went to the kitchen. Alcide looked like the news about Debbie hit him hard and I almost felt sorry for him. He wasn't such a bad guy despite his horrible taste in women.

We didn't linger long.

Alcide didn't say much after that. We said brief goodbyes and left him to ponder what he'd do with his not-so-ex-girlfriend.

"Do you think he'll break up with her again? Wait. Are they _back_ together?" I asked Godric when I was sure we had enough floors separating us from the Were.

He looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'm not sure; he didn't seem too sure himself. It maybe that he isn't ready to move on just yet."

I thought about that. Would I have stayed with someone who was deliberately causing me pain? Could I stay with someone who hurts others in such a vicious way? I wasn't sure I could. Yet, was being with a vampire any different? They may not cause me pain directly, but I sure got banged up while they were about. That was food for thought.

When the elevator doors opened I still didn't have answers.

There was a new car in the space where I'd parked the white one. It was nice, luxurious and clearly expensive. It was a way to get us home: that was all I cared about.

I was tired to the bone and sore. Whatever deep thinking that needed to be done about my life would just have to wait until tomorrow, or the day after.

Someone thoughtfully provided a pillow and as I slid in the back seat I didn't bother fastening the seatbelt, but lay straight down on the soft leather seat. "Wake me up when we get home?"

"Sleep, lover," Eric told me. I took that as a yes and closed my eyes.

I wasn't sure how long I'd slept when I felt the car stop. My body was stiff and my neck still sore. I had meant to look at it when we were at Alcide's, but after his attitude I had just wanted to get home.

"Where are we?" I asked as I rubbed my eyes. I moved my head and pain spread down my back, radiating in waves. I may be more than human, but I sure didn't feel that way just then.

Godric turned to look at me, his eyes soft and concerned. "About an hour out of Shreveport. We're stopping for gas. Are you hungry?"

I had to thinking about that for a minute. Last time I ate, well, it would have been that chocolate bar I'd gotten just after Bill's rescue. With all the blood loss and action I should have been starving, I wasn't. "Not really, but I need to eat." I needed to use the bathroom too, but I didn't think I needed to voice that since we were already near one.

He nodded. "Let's go get you something then."

Eric had already gotten out of the car by the time I sat upright and stretched a little before carefully sliding out of the back seat. As I took my first tentative step away from the comfort of the plushy backseat makeshift bed I really felt the need to find that restroom, my bladder was so full it was a wonder I had slept at all.

The petrol station wasn't empty and to my dismay I spied another woman walking into the restroom. My steps slowed since there wasn't as much rush now that I'd have to wait my turn. That's when I heard him.

_Could be her. Slut's supposed to be blond. But they sure didn't mention two bloodsuckers. Those fuckers are hard to kill….only get the money if she's alive._

I'd heard enough to make me stumble as I tried to concentrate on the source of the thoughts. "What is it?" Godric asked as he caught me.

"Company," I whispered, surreptitiously turning to where I thought the guy was. The movement hurt, but it was well worth it. I had been half asleep on my feet, my shield barely there and this guy was a strong broadcaster. And he wasn't alone.

They were sitting in the green pick-up a few yards from where we'd parked. Well out of camera range. I couldn't see their faces.

"Those two are looking for me. The bikers…they've stationed somebody on all the roads from Jackson to Shreveport," I whispered. They may have been arguing between themselves about me, but I saw in their heads who had hired them. The likeness between him and the guy that I'd killed was uncanny. The girl they were looking for was me.

Godric sped up, pushing me more forcefully through the entrance to the shop and down the aisle. He said something under his breath that I didn't catch, probably since it wasn't in any language I could understand.

The bright lights inside made my eyes hurt. I blinked digging in my heels when we reached the fridges at the back of the shop. "Why are you being so pushy?"

"Go inside," he said.

I looked blankly at the door in front of me. It said staff only. "Why?" I know, I know. It was a stupid question, but my mind was still sleepy and panic had already set into the parts that had woken up enough to care about my safety.

He reached around me, opening the door, which lead into a dark room. "We will take care of things."

I opened my mouth to argue, closed it, then opened it again. "But I can help."

He pushed me inside. "No. You can't," he said and paused as I turned to look at him. I was sure my feelings were written all over my face. "Ma petite, you have been hurt and almost drained today. I will not mention the risks you took to rescue that idiot Compton. Russell may have appeared to be complacent, but believe me things could have gone much differently. Now, please listen and stay hidden."

When the door closed my mouth hadn't. I stayed there in the dark for a moment catching flies before I had the sense to move. Fumbling around I finally found the switch and light filled the tiny office.

I decided quickly enough that Godric hadn't thought this through very well. The space was tiny, I had no idea what was happening outside and there weren't any escape routes. That would be one of the things I was going to have to talk to him about after I was allowed out of here. I wasn't stupid enough to barge out now just so I could argue with him.

Since it would seem that staying here was the better option for now, I decided that should the vampires fail—I was pretty sure that wouldn't happen— and those goons did come for me, I would need to defend myself. While pulling the knives out of my boots I got distracted by the state of my clothes.

I hadn't actually checked them since before I was Bill's unwilling snack. There hadn't been time to change at Alcide's or look in the mirror. I groaned at how much blood stained my sweater. I looked like something out of a horror movie and I was pretty sure my face wasn't in much better state. I didn't want to know what my neck looked like; it was itching like crazy, so it must still be healing.

No wonder the two guys in the truck didn't think much of me. I looked like I was a fangbanger. Worse. I looked like I had been dinner and dessert all in one. What had the poor gas station attendant though of me walking in, in the middle of the night looking like this? That train of thought led me to realize I was still half asleep. How could I forget I was a telepath?

When I finally lowered my shields and searched for mind outside of my claustrophobic safe room, I saw that I needn't have worried about protecting myself after all. Although the poor shop attendant was scared shitless he was still conscious, a good sign. The same couldn't be said about the two men that had been waiting to catch me.

Confident the danger had passed I risked coming out. I kept my knives handy, just in case.

"Is everyone okay?" The question sounded silly even to me, but there wasn't anything else I could have asked. There wasn't a polite way of asking if your vampire boyfriends if they managed to dispose of the Weres who were trying to kidnap you again.

Godric raised an eyebrow at the knives in my hands. I put them away.

"It would seem they were hired by Jerry Falcon's pack member," Eric reiterated what I had already known.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was his brother. Their faces were similar."

Eric looked impressed by my analysis. Personally I didn't think it was all that impressive; hard to forget the face of someone you killed.

"I believe we have something left to take care of," Godric interrupted my thoughts.

I looked at him blankly for a moment before turning to look over the counter. The boy, and he mustn't have been more than twenty, was hardly breathing, his face almost the same chalky white as that of my companions. He must have seen what had happened outside. Regret washed over me, but then I thought it would probably be less traumatic for him not to remember a couple of vampires killing during his shift.

I sighed. "Just get it over with."

While they were busy wiping memories I finally got a chance to use the bathroom. The woman that had occupied it previously seemed to have missed all the excitement; she had been in there all along.

At least it was one less person who'd have a hole in their memory I thought to myself as I washed off the remnants of sleep from my face and tried to make my hair look a little less like I've spent the day rescuing a vampire ex-boyfriend, killing his maker, being locked in a trunk and fed on and then sleeping in the car while recovering from blood loss. Even for me this has been a full day.

"Are you ready?" Eric asked.

He looked impatient when I came out of the bathroom. He also looked edgy. I wondered why, half ready to ask, and then thought better of it. I nodded, a little offended by his attitude. "Sure." Squaring my shoulders, and trying to ignore the pain signaling me that I'd overdone things, I walked past him.

We were pulling out of the gas station when I remembered the other reason we were there—apart from using their facilities. "Eric, I forgot to get food," I said.

In retrospect food had been the last thing on my mind, obviously living with vampires was rubbing off on my nutritional habits. I seem to be drinking blood more often than I wanted to and eating human food less. This wasn't something that should be encouraged I thought.

Godric handed me a pre-packed tuna sandwich and a big bottle of water. It seemed at least one of the vampires had remembered I was still human.

"Thanks," I said as I took the food.

"You are welcome, ma petite," he said before turning back to look at the road ahead, his expression thoughtful.

I ate in silence. All of us seemed to have enough on our minds to keep us occupied. Eric had something up his behind as he drove us through the night, the steering wheel groaning under the pressure of his deathlike grip. Whatever was bothering him I left him to it, I had enough problems just now.

Godric was just as broody, but seemed less tense about it. Obviously in his case, now that we were all together and safe, he was happy to concentrate on the problems, but with less intensity in his feelings.

I was mid-bite when my phone rang. My bag was on the floor behind Godric's seat and I scrambled awkwardly to get it out.

"Hello?" I said.

"Sookie?"

I frowned. Who else would be answering my phone? "Yes," I said and then looked at the phone—I hadn't bothered to check, just answered. The caller id signaled that it was a Bon Temps phone number, one that I was very familiar with. "Phedre?"

"I don't have much time." She sounded agitated and I put my half eaten sandwich down, suddenly not hungry. "Strange men have entered the woods and are heading towards the house. I'm going out there, so I'm not cornered. I believe they are looking for you."

I rubbed my temple with my free hand. "How do you know that?"

There was a brief pause. "They are two natured, Sookie."

Well, sure because I was a trouble magnet and all the two-natured seemed to want to get to me these days. "Okay." I felt inadequate saying that, but to be honest my brain was fresh out of ideas.

"Give me the phone," Godric said holding his hand out expectantly.

I did. They had a fast and furious conversation that was hard to follow, probably because it was in French and my knowledge of the language ended after useless phrases such as "how is the weather today?" I was sure that's not what they were talking about.

Glancing at the mirror I saw Eric watching me, his eyes clouded with worry. He could obviously follow the conversation. I felt instantly jealous of the time and knowledge he had. It took me a moment to remember that now I too had time to learn anything I wanted: a concept that wasn't easy to get used to.

"It would seem that the Weres tracked you all the way to Bon Temps," Godric said when he got off the phone. "I believe it would be prudent for us to… how do you say…clean house?"

While I agreed that making sure Phedre wasn't harassed by the Weres on my account was a great idea, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like how Godric planned to clean house, as he put it.

"We'll have to stop off in Shreveport," Eric said. "We need to drop Sookie off first. I will call Bill to keep an eye on the situation; he should get there before us."

There were several things I didn't agree with; I decided to start at the top. "Hang on, this is my house, my room-mate and they are looking for me. I'm not going to sit around in Sheveport."

Godric turned around to look at me. His eyes were hard as stone. "You're still injured, no doubt still exhausted and there's a good possibility of a fight. You expect me to agree to take you with us?"

My finger dug into my thighs. "Excuse me? I don't expect you to agree to anything. This isn't something we're negotiating. I'm coming." Who did he think he was? Just because I let him lock me in an office, did he think I would simply sit by every time there was an attempt on my life? To be sure I seem to be having a few more of those attempts lately–that was making me mad too, but right now I was seriously not impressed by Godric's attitude.

He sighed. "Ma petite, it would not be wise for you to come with us. Eric and I can handle the situation."

"I don't care if you could handle ten such situations. You're more than welcome to them when they don't concern me or my friends. This isn't something I expected we'd be arguing over. I'm coming," I repeated the last bit for emphasis.

"I agree with Godric, Sookie," Eric said. "It wouldn't be a good idea for you to come." I was about to give him a piece of my mind too, but then he continued. "But I think you should."

Well, that stopped my tirade before it started. "Good," I said with satisfaction, threading my arms in front of me while giving Godric a glare.

He turned back towards the road. "I do not like this," he said after a while.

Well boo-hoo.

I seethed in silence as we took the exit for Bon Temps instead of continuing towards Shreveport. Eric wisely concentrated on the road; he had been driving like a mad man before the phone call, now he was positively flying. I was sure he would have driven even faster if I hadn't been in the car. And this time I didn't mind him wanting to get to Bon Temps and my house as soon as it was inhumanly possible.

"Sookie, you will drive up to the house, they will be expecting you, not us. Godric and I will fly in. Is it too much to ask for you to wait in the car?" he asked as he looked in the mirror to read my expression. "How about wait until we come inside first?"

Godric stayed silent.

"Don't you think it would be easier if they thought I was coming in?" I asked. "I mean they would be distracted by me, while you two did your thing." I wasn't crash hot on the idea of them risking their lives for me, but I wasn't suicidal to try and take on the Weres on my own.

"Is one close brush with death not enough for you?" Godric asked, his voice hard as rocks.

I swallowed, but stuck to my guns. "I'm not trying to get myself killed, Godric, but I won't sit around while you're risking your life for me either. Don't expect me to do that. I just can't."

"She will be fine," Eric said. I could feel his confidence radiating off him and inside of me.

Godric finally turned away from the road. "How do you know that?"

"I don't. I'm merely pointing out the fact that she would be fine if she uses her survival instinct. Godric, we have given her the tools to defend herself and now you are expecting her to sit around and wait to be rescued? That is not like you."

"She is so fragile," Godric all but whispered, and there was so much unspoken pain in his voice.

My hand went to his shoulder; despite my anger I wanted to comfort him. "I'll be okay." I hoped. "Besides, there is something I forgot to tell you that'll make you feel better, I hope. I think I've inherited more than just a pretty glow from my mother's side of the family. I think I can use fire like my grandmother." It felt weird calling someone that when I hadn't even known them. I had a Gran after all, she had been decidedly human.

I hadn't wanted to remember the trunk, but I couldn't not think about it, I certainly remembered the smell of burning flesh clearly enough. I doubted it had been my imagination either, I saw steam come off Bill where our skin was touching.

"What?" Eric asked, his attention more on me than the road, which was worrisome.

"I think I burned Bill just before you got there," I explained. "I'm pretty sure I did." Eric was still looking at me more than the road. "Eric, it scares me when you do that."

"What?"

"When you look at me while driving."

He glared, but looked back at the road.

"Can you please explain," Godric said.

I tried. It was a little confusing, since I had been scared, angry and had a whole bunch of other things going through my head at the time, like how to survive without killing Bill. When I finished they were silent for so long I started to feel real uncomfortable. Vampires knew how to be silent.

"I wonder if it's natural development or vampire blood that triggered this," Eric said at last. "We have no way of knowing with Lexie out of contact. It may be a bit of both. Stress is a definite factor."

"Certainly it's a good power to develop further," Godric added. "Although I'm not certain if I want you to experiment on us, ma petite."

Eric chuckled, obviously he was pleased by this development. "Yes, please, lover, no experimenting in bed. While I enjoy a lot of things, being burned while you have an orgasm doesn't hold any appeal for me."

I blushed to the tips of my toes. "Eric! You're thinking about sex now?"

That got a laugh out of both of them and the tension in the car went down a notch.

The rest of the drive into Bon Temps had me alternatively blushing or laughing. Eric kept up the dirty talk all the way through the streets of the familiar town and Godric seemed to warm up. Although normally I would have put a stop to Eric's teasing earlier I knew it had all been for Godric's benefit, so I kept on blushing and trying not to show my own amusement. After all it wouldn't have been half as much fun if I was laughing along with them.

"We will stop here," Eric said a little unnecessarily as he pulled over just before the turning off to my house.

Suddenly my mouth was dry and hands sweaty. I had almost managed to forget why we were in Bon Temps.

We all got out of the car silently; me a little stiffly as well.

Eric walked over to where I was standing and put his arms on my shoulders as he searched my face. "You will make sure you don't take any risks, do you understand? Do not go into the house. Wait until one of us comes out. If anything should go wrong run to Bill's."

I swallowed, it hurt. "Okay."

He seemed to hesitate for a moment before stepping away and making room for Godric who didn't waste time: he kissed me. Electricity raced between us as I clung to him trying to keep up and when he stepped away my head felt decidedly light headed, blood loss had absolutely nothing to do with it.

"Take good care of yourself."

I nodded and then watched as they took off into the dark sky.

After getting myself into the driver's seat I took a moment to readjust both it and my head before I turned onto the familiar road leading to my farmhouse. I was sure Phedre was somewhere in the woods, but since I couldn't see past the headlights I didn't look too closely. Emotions filled me as I got closer and not all of them had to do with who was waiting for me at the end of the road. Coming back to Gran's house would probably always affect me this way.

I didn't drive up the back as I would normally do, but stopped the car in front of the porch and shut off the engine. My heart thundered in my ears as I careful got out of the car, aware of all the aches and bruises I had already. If I had my way there would be more of them before long. I had no intention of sitting idly by this time. I wouldn't rush in, but that didn't say that none of them might come out to find me. I knew just as well as anyone that with my luck I'd have to fight before tonight was over.

"Phedre?" I whispered. "Are you here?"

Only the trees rustled in answer, the sound both comforting and familiar. I knew she was watching. I took the necessary steps towards the front door; it loomed before me, a familiar gateway into a house full of childhood memories. The spare key was underneath the flower pot on the right side and I took my time getting it out, slid my knives out of my boots while I was hunched over. I scanned the house with my mind. They were all in the living room, waiting, watching me.

There were eight in all, all dark red swirling minds of hate and anger.

Taking a deep breath I slid the key into the hole and twisted. That's when all hell broke loose, noise shattering the peaceful night instantaneously.

As plans went this one hadn't been too bad. From the minds inside I knew they hadn't expected the vamps to sneak in through the upstairs windows. We knew they'd be open, Phedre stayed up there and she hated not being able to listen to her trees.

I jumped as a hand covered mine on the door knob. "Let them handle this, we will stay here should they need assistance." All of my attention had been focused on the room, Phedre had come up behind me and I hadn't even noticed.

Looking at her over my shoulder I said, "I want to help." My neck hurt, but I didn't want to turn my body, that felt like giving up.

She gave me a small smile, her normally beautiful teeth sharp points and I sucked in my breath. "You turn will come soon, little spitfire, don't you worry."

"How did you–"

The last words didn't make it out of my mouth as the door was ripped out of my hands and Phedre shoved me back. I stumbled trying not to fall. The Were lunged straight at Phedre, who must have been two sizes smaller. She jumped swiping her hands at his face and left a trail of blood behind. I tried to see what she was fighting with but there was nothing in her hands.

Then Eric was there, his hands wrapped around the Were as he ripped into his throat with a ferocity that was terrifying. His eyes found mine as he sucked him dry, while locking me in a trance. I stood there stupidly watching while he finished his meal, let the body drop to the floor and came up to me for a bloody kiss before disappearing back inside without a word.

"You mouth has blood all over it," Phedre pointed out after a moment. She was checking her nails, they were bloody too.

I wiped a sleeve over my face. "I'm sorry for bringing all this trouble here." I told her because there wasn't much else I could say. I was sorry. At that moment more sorry than I've ever been about bringing all this trouble into my life as well. God, how I wished I didn't have to deal with any of this just now.

When she looked up trying to focus on me, her eyes seemed clouded with memories. "I have not had the chance to fight in a long time." Her smile made me shiver and not in a good way. "Stay here." Then she disappeared inside the house leaving me alone in a night full of growls and screams, and I was left thinking that apparently dryads weren't so peaceful after all.

I stepped away from the door as a pained scream ripped through the air around me. My back hit a wooden beam and I slid down and I sat there on the porch with a knife in each of my hands, staring at the open door to my Gran's house, the dead man lying a few feet in front of me, but not really seeing anything. The noises stopped eventually, eerie silence hung heavy in the night air. I didn't know how much time had passed. I wasn't sure I knew much at all just then.

Godric came out and crouched down next to me. "Are you okay?" he asked in his gentle voice. It was somehow wrong to hear that voice coming from the bloodied face in front of me. Wrong when I was sitting here, unharmed and a dead man lay right next to me. He had wanted to harm me, but did that mean he deserved to die?

I nodded. Sure, I wasn't hurting, much. I didn't fight, this time. There weren't any bruises that were fresh anyway. Must be okay, right?

The irony didn't escape me that after all of my insistence on coming with them, I hadn't done anything at all to help.

After a moment of not meeting his eyes I felt his hand on my arm, giving it a gentle squeeze before it disappeared again.

"We will clean up the house and go home. Do you want to come inside…maybe wait in the kitchen?" He sounded concerned.

I was sure he felt my inner numbness. I shook my head.

He didn't move away. After a few strained moments asked "Can I get you something? Water?"

I shook my head again.

He went back in after a bit, probably unsure as to what to do with me.

In a little while I got up and walked, somewhat unsteadily, towards the car. My bag, the one I had taken to Jackson, was in the trunk. I was half way down the driveway when my brother answered his phone.

"Sook?" His voice was scratchy.

"Jason, can you come get me? I'm at the turn off to Gran's house." I said and my eyes watered at the crack in my voice.

There was a pregnant pause on the other end before he asked. "Sook, are you okay?"

No. No, I wasn't. "Please?"

He muttered something under his breath. "I'll be there soon."

Something unclenched inside me; something I hadn't even known was tied up in knots loosened. My steps became steadier and if I didn't see the road I was walking on because my eyes were overrun with tears, well, I knew it well enough to manage.

* * *

_Yes, yet another long A/N (can't seem to stop myself)  
_

_I may have mentioned this earlier, but it bears repeating…I have already written lemons…they will be coming very soon…and they will be zesty (if I still remember how to write them that is). _

_Now, if you are wondering WTF at the end of this chapter…trust me, I was, then please bear with me as I try and unf'k the situation. Yes, the vulgar language is exactly what I used when I finished this chapter and literally freaked out. It was not part of my plan. I do make one, although I seem to be completely unable to follow it as bombs sort of POP into my writing as I write it. _

_Love to hear what you think; theories, torture plans (for characters, not me) are welcome, also since we are getting close to the end of DH and the 'let's make Sookie's life one big bloody drama' part….I am taking requests for lemons. Where…with who and ummm….any other details you want me to include. Cos seriously guys, all this drama is making me wanna write some serious (and occasionally not so much) zesty fun. And as you know, we still have the surprise from G & E to get to…remember? The one that they were supposed to give her before all the shit hit the fan…like way back in the beginning of this story._

_Xxx_

_mavrosal_


	15. Chapter 15

_ Here is the promised surprise POV chapter. I hope the action is fun and my introduction of yet another OC is okay. While I love the original characters created by CH and TB, it seems I can't help but make my own as well. It is a step towards writing something original for me. Somewhat scary, since I am fully responsible for the development of the personality, history and the rest of the intricate work that goes into creating an interesting character. I hope you enjoy the ones I've introduced so far. _

_Thank you for reading my story and I'll be around again in a week or so, depending on work (which has been taking more and more of my time lately). Lucky for all of us Dying Heart is nearing the end and I will (hopefully) be able to post a chapter a week until it is done. _

_For those of you that must be wondering if I'll be continuing the story there is good news. I will be starting Dying Soul after I'm done with this one (that's the sequel). Starting to write it, not publish it. Due to the complexity of the story I'm considering waiting to finish the first draft before I publish anything. The story will become completely AU and I will be creating lots of my own drama for Sookie. Although I will leave a few plot elements from both SVM and TB._

_That's all I'm saying for now. I'm sure I'll tease you all more at a later date. ;)_

_Special thank you to Bathsheba Rocks and MellyKen for helping me edit. The girls rock at getting rid of my blunders and rushed typos. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own TB or SVM, but I do own Lexie and Mernieth. And they are awesome!_

_Xxx_

_mavrosal_

* * *

It had been almost a century since I had the opportunity to drink this deep. If it was Were blood, well, to me after all this time it tasted even sweeter. All the leads and clues in Jackson had been a dead end; unable to answer my questions. I ripped through yet another neck with relish; at least I had this as a consolation prize. I would get to the one who had destroy my heritage, even if it took me another millennia to do so.

These wolves would have hurt our Sookie. I do not tolerate such a threat to me and mine without retaliation.

Blood lust. My eyes clouded with a haze of red, the only thing drumming in my ears was the frenzied sound of a dying heart under my palm. I let my nature consume me, gorging on the free-flowing liquid. All the control, mastered over centuries, gone in an instant as the real predator inside me let loose.

"Eric, the door," Godric growled as he pacified yet another wolf, this one left alive writhing on the floor from his injuries. He would be questioned later.

There was no need to ask for clarification, I knew instinctively what Godric wanted; years of following his orders in battle have taken out any hesitation from my actions. I was on the Were in seconds. The idiot trying to escape didn't manage to get far, as Phedre stood guard at the entrance. She had never been one for violence, yet like any creature of the forest had a piece of her that called to it. A piece of all of us was called to it.

My fangs sank into the soft flesh of the escapee at the same time as I found Sookie's face. Her small mouth was slightly open in shock as she took in what no doubt was a bloody picture; eyes wide as they watched me, I felt the turbulence underneath, yet was too far gone to offer much in way of consolation. She would learn. She had to learn.

Beautiful.

She was so delectable in that moment, her fear sang along my mind encouraging me to further violence as it molded my current mood, the creature inside me wanting to taste her as much as fuck her.

The space between us vanished as I unconsciously stalked closer to my prize. The telltale stutter in her heartbeat almost made me growl as my lips descended on hers. So sweet; tantalizing me with the promises of warm legs wrapped around me as I sated my lust in her body.

It had been Godric's command that pulled me away from her and back to our unfinished business. I licked my lips as I bent down over the Were he had left alive, trying to fight my way back to consciousness through the haze of red that had clouded my mind. Reality needed to be addressed, fucking would come later.

"Who sent you?" I growled in to his face.

His good eye moved wildly around, no doubt the creature was still in shock; they had not expected us that much had been obvious. Ten Weres to catch one human—at least what they had assumed was a human female. It was pathetic.

He spat in my face. The idiot.

My fingers tightened around his throat; watching his face turn blue gave me a different kind of pleasure. "Do I really need to repeat my fucking question?"

"Eric, we really can't be playing all night, I need to clean this place up." Phedre's soft lilting voice sounded behind me. Did she really think I was not aware of that?

I let my fingers loosen anyway. There was no point in squashing his vocal cords; we needed information.

"Speak," Godric ordered.

It took the Were a moment to focus on my maker's face. "Why should I?"

I felt the peaceful resignation float in the air before Godric spoke. "Is a clean painless death so worthless to someone like you? Would you rather experience pain? We are vampires: it is in our nature to master the art of inflicting such things on others."

There was no doubt equal pride and censure in that statement. I had known Godric was divided in his view of our existence, had thought that Sookie had cured him of the melancholy. I had been wrong.

The Were tried to struggle. "She is ours. Her insult to our leader did not go unnoticed and now he is gone. We need to know where."

"Do you really think that idiot was worth all of this death? Was his life worth yours? Your brothers?" Godric asked.

"He was our leader," the wolf said as though that explained it all. They were animals, every one of them.

I leaned in, breathing in his fear. "She is ours." His neck made a satisfying crunch as I crashed it with my fingers.

"Always so rash, Viking," Phedre said behind me.

I ignored the chiding undertone to her words. She had no right to lecture me. When I turned, it was just in time to catch the predatory smile on her face, sharp teeth peeking through her bloody lips as she bent down to another survivor.

Godric put his hand on my shoulder, breaking into my trance as I watched her steady work and enjoyed the resulting screams. I struggled to find my way back to rational thinking; the contact grounding me to reality and him.

"I will check on Sookie and be back, do not kill him until then," he whispered.

Nodding I moved towards the last remaining Were, the one Phedre was currently marking with her nails. Admiringly I watched her slow work on his torso; she was certainly efficient at making him scream. It was high pitched sound that made me appreciative of our remote location.

"What is it that you want him to tell you, vampire, I am in the mood to play," Phedre said, her nail digging its way into the pliant flesh.

I considered the question before answering, "Does he know anything about the Arkansas wolves working for Lorena?"

She pulled her hand away, slowly moving it lower on his body. "So, do you?"

The Were shook his head vigorously from side to side. "I ain't heard of no Arkansas wolves. I swear. We only came here for the girl."

Such pity he was so weak, there was no fun in breaking him at all. "Kill him," I told her. "Useless, the lot of them."

Disgusted by the lack of courage the wolf displayed I finally looked around at the carnage. Sookie's living room was covered in blood. The shabby couches sprayed in random patterns of red on beige; blood running down the faded wallpaper; the carpet soaked.

"Pam, we need cleaners in Bon Temps," I said as I heard the clicking on the other end of the phone, giving my child no time to indulge her impressive list of Fangtasia greeting phrases.

"I assume Sookie got in trouble again," she said with a bite to her words. I couldn't give a shit about her petulance over missing the action.

"Now, Pam. We are at Sookie's and will start disposing of the bodies," I told her before hanging up.

Godric had come back while I was on the phone. "How is she?" I asked him, knowing full well that she was in shock.

He looked troubled. "Not well."

I nodded. "She wanted to come," I reminded him. "She will need to learn how to handle this."

His brow furrowed. "Yes, I suppose. It will not be easy for her."

I agreed, yet unlike my maker I believed Sookie to be strong enough to come to terms with the violence. She loved us. Just because I haven't heard the words out loud didn't mean I was ignorant of the feeling: I knew it, felt it through the bond we shared.

The bond that was stretching as Sookie moved away from the house. "She is leaving?" I asked Godric, unsure why I needed to confirmation.

His eyes took on a distant look as he concentrated on the part of him that was in Sookie. "Yes, it would seem so. She is sad," he said slowly as he analyzed. "I believe the events today have overwhelmed her."

I moved towards the door , instinctively wanting to go after her.

"Let her go," Phedre said.

My fangs snapped out as turned to growl at the dryad. Who the fuck was she to tell me what to do?

Phedre faced me unfazed. "Don't be an idiot. She just needs time."

"I—"

Whatever threat I had wanted to use against her was left unfinished as Bill Compton ran into the house. He stopped as he took in the bloody living room and the ten dead men on the floor. I hadn't realized that Sookie had invited him back in, but maybe it hadn't been her, maybe it was Phedre that associated with the idiot.

"What happened? Where is Sookie? Is she okay?" He asked with his usual martyred expression.

"You are suddenly interested in _our_ Sookie? In her health?" I asked, not at all amused.

Bill hissed at me.

I'd had enough of his idiocy. There was no Sookie to stop me here and now, no, she was walking away from me. It was almost too easy to grab him by the throat, slamming him into the floor with more force than was truly necessary.

"Fool. You are an idiot to think that your pathetic attempts at saving her would somehow erase what you had done," I hissed into his face.

"Eric," Godric cautioned.

"_She_ is not here," I said, trying for some respect although, in my present mood, none was forthcoming. " And it is time for him to pay. Yes, now is the perfect time."

"Maybe not in the living room? I would appreciate it if you took him elsewhere," Phedre told me. "I do not care what you do to him, just as long as you clean up this mess before you go."

"Go do your job, dryad, before I rip into your throat as well," I whispered, barely controlling the urge to kill.

I heard movement behind me, but didn't look away from Bill's face enjoying the feeling of having him in my grasp at last. I'd wanted to rip him apart since Dallas, since the time he had broken Sookie's heart.

"Go, Phedre, watch over her. We'll send guards to change you at dawn. The house needs cleaning anyway," Godric said. "If you can get in contact with Lexie, it would be best to let her known what has happened."

With the silent permission from my maker I broke every bone in Bill's arms, enjoying his screams, which were much more satisfying than those of the wolves.

It didn't take long for Compton to pass out. While he was dead to the world I grabbed the silver chain I'd made Sookie stash at her house after we started….dating. It had been a precaution at the time, but it now came in handy as I stashed the idiot in the trunk, bound in silver so even if he woke up, he wouldn't be going anywhere until I was ready to deal with him.

When I got back in the house Godric had already started on the process of de-cluttering.

I looked down at the closest body. "I wonder if there is a convenient swamp around?" I asked, of no one in particular. Surely there was one within ten minutes flight, maybe less.

We worked in cohesive silence as we stacked the bodies on the lawn at the back of the house. It took three flights to get rid of them all and while we could have left it for the cleaning crew, I always make sure to deal with hard evidence myself.

Phedre called Godric to let him know that Sookie was sleeping on Jason's couch. Neither of us was happy about the arrangement, but there was little we could do about it. It would make me feel better to have her in our house before sunrise; I would like nothing more than to soothe her obvious hurt, and possibly fuck her, but I wasn't about to do any of that.

Sookie needed the space. I was willing to give it to her.

"Pam will want updates," Godric said once we landed next to the car. "She will also want to play."

I glanced at the trunk where Compton was stashed, yes, my child would definitely enjoy some playtime. Maybe it would be enough to pacify her curiosity about Sookie's absence, although I doubted the last part.

Godric was dialing Russell as I pulled away from the house.

"I thought you left," Russell said when he picked up the phone.

"We have, your Majesty, but we were followed from Jackson."

"How's that my problem?" Russell's dry tone let me know he wasn't at all upset.

I was sure that having to vampires of our reputation and influence in such close vicinity and without significant political clout was not what the King considered easy neighbors. Having our fangs filed would not upset him, even if he was on good terms with Godric's maker.

"It's your problem since the company seemed to be affiliated to you. Do you remember the biker that accosted Sookie at Josephine's?" Godric asked, somewhat irritated by the King.

"Of course, delightful of him to give me the chance to taste of your little morsel, she was delicious by the way."

I could practically see the smile on his face. Godric went rigid next to me at the intentional gibe.

"It would seem his pack lost him, they thought that Sookie would know where to find the Were and were waiting to snatch her at the gas station on the outskirts of Shreveport."

"I'm sure you handled them."

I looked sideways at my maker to see his fangs extended. It was not wise of Russell to annoy us, but he knew he could get away with it, for now.

"We did, but there was a group of them waiting at her house," Godric grounded out each word.

"That many for one puny human, how odd," Russell agreed, sounding much more interested. "You're saying they only wanted to catch her for revenge."

"That's the information they provided."

There was a long silence before Russell spoke again, "But you think otherwise."

"Yes."

"In that case I'll look into the matter. I don't enjoy it when my wolves eat from someone else's hand."

Yes, Russell liked to keep his wolves on a short leash. I never understood the reason he worked so closely with them. The Weres picked to guard Sookie were indebted to me. I saved their lives. I knew that they would repay the debt by making sure Sookie was safe. Lexie had made sure of that before she left as well. If there was one thing I trusted when it came to Sookie's safety, it was that Lexie would stop at nothing to protect her.

Silence reigned in our car for the rest of the drive, disturbed by occasional muffled shouts from the trunk when Bill had finally regained consciousness.

"Will you be participating in the punishment?" I finally asked my maker as we entered the outskirts of Shreveport. It was a question that had been on my mind since the garage incident in Jackson. The old Godric I had known would not hesitate, but now, since Dallas, I was having doubts. Doubts that annoyed me more than the change in his character, I hated doubting something I've always known to be the truth.

He thought about the answer, letting me stew for a few minutes before saying, "I am not sure." That answer made me bite my tongue hard enough I tasted blood. "I believe he will be more severely punished by you and Pam, I see no need to get involved."

It was official: somewhere in the last century my maker has lost his fangs. The change in him made me wonder if I would ever become the same, surely not, not every vampire lost his fangs after a few millennia.

"Why?" I asked, not even sure what the hell the question was about. Did I want to know about his lack of interest in the torture or his lack of interest in this torture?

"I will kill him," he said simply.

I felt a part of me relax; my maker had not lost all of himself to ennui and pain. That answer I understood. It was why I was considering letting Pam have all the fun. Neither of us would be able to resist taking things too far and we still needed Compton. The Queen needed him for their little project. I wasn't about to risk Her Royal Majesty breathing down my neck while Sookie was still vulnerable.

Pam was waiting at the door when I parked the car in my spot usual spot behind Fangtasia, her foot tapping away impatiently as she watched us. It didn't take long for her face to be transformed into a pleasurable snarl when she spied our latest catch.

The amount of glee in her expression was humorous and if Sookie's noticeable absence hadn't been hanging heavy in the air around me it would have made me smile. I felt like a part of me was missing. When had I managed to get so attached? It wasn't like we were always together, I didn't mind that, but this time had been different, she had walked away from us.

"Is this my Christmas present?" Pam chimed.

"Will it be all you want for Christmas?" I drawled out, knowing full well a pout was coming.

She didn't disappoint. "Well, it could be _one_ of them."

"Take him downstairs. We will get a chance to play tomorrow, for now I want him in the coffin," I instructed.

Pam happily took over and I followed her as far as my office.

"Do you think this will be the end of the Weres?" I asked Godric as I settled in my chair, turning on the computer. There was paperwork to be done and if I wasn't going to get sex I may as well blue ball while working. At least something productive would come from tonight.

Godric had followed me in the room and sat down on the couch.

"I believe Russell will stop them from coming again," he said. "I am more concerned about the Weres from Arkansas. Why would Lorena need to hire out of state when Russell had given her free use of his facilities?"

"What do we know about Threadgill?"

"He is spineless, probably why Sophie-Anne is after him. It will broaden her power base and give her extra vampires to order. Other than that, not much; I have never had the pleasure of meeting him."

Pleasure was missing in my life and it had nothing to do with my not meeting the king of Arkansas.

Godric's eyes looked troubled. "There is a link we are missing, I am sure of it." He looked straight at me. "You are aware of the tattoos, yes?"

I nodded, ancient fury uncurling inside me from the place I had buried it centuries past. Yes, I already had spies checking into the possibilities, but without proof I could do nothing. It would raise suspicions. And the most important reason: Sookie needed me here. She may not be here now, but I was certain she would be here soon. Today, tomorrow; it didn't matter. I would make sure I was here when she came back to us. After that, well, if my spies came up with something I would have to get closer acquainted with the King of Arkansas.

"There have been two more attacks," Pam said without preamble as she came in. No doubt the bounce in her step meant Bill had been lucid enough to get a taste of what was coming.

"You have mentioned this, I need the details," I told her, getting my mind off other matters.

Pam sat down in her usual chair—one on the left so she could see both of us—and smoothed out the purple twill skirt.

"Rebecca called in to let me know her shop's window was broken when her day staff arrived. The police were useless to say the least. And Paul called in about an attempt on his life." She paused to let me take it in. "He was fucking lucky that he installed an air tight room in his house, I may have to ask who did it, I have no intention of getting barbequed."

"His house caught fire?" Godric asked.

"No," she said and leaned forward, her hands folding on her crossed knees. "His house was doused in petrol and lit up."

"And nobody saw what happened?" I asked doubtful that was the case. Someone pouring gasoline in and around a house in the suburbs surely would have been noticeable. Even just by noisy neighbors.

"He lives just out of town, it is isolated," she explained.

I had forgotten Paul enjoyed solitude. He was old enough to take care of himself, well over five hundred, yet all of us were helpless during the day. I had been pleased to see an influx of older vampires coming to live in my area. They were more likely to be loyal if they consider me a good leader, most having had the opportunity to live under idiots. Having to follow orders all your life was made palatable when someone competent was giving them.

Not for the first time I wondered why I still answered to Sophie-Anne.

"I'm assuming you opened an investigation?" I asked Pam.

"Of course, as well as welcoming two more vampires into our fold," she told me.

Something started buzzing in the back of my mind. A feeling of excitement that grew stronger, as though it wasn't coming from me, but from someone who was getting closer. For a brief moment I allowed myself to hope that it was Sookie. Yes, stupidity thy name is Eric.

"Mernieth," Godric whispered. My maker flew out of the door.

I looked at Pam's satisfied expression. "She came here?"

Pam nodded still looking smug. "Yes."

The satisfaction left her face when she saw my frown. "What's wrong? I would have thought you'd be happy about this."

Pam was right. I should have been. Mernieth was a force of nature. She was so old; I don't think she even knew the exact date she had been turned. That she was here, well, it remained to be seen if that was a good thing.

"Ulrich is in the country," I told Pam quietly, although I knew my maker was far enough away from me not to have heard.

"What?"

Pam had heard about what happened between Godric and his brother. I told her months ago. She had cried. My child, the ruthless bitch I was so fucking proud of cried when I told her. Then she hugged me, a gesture that spoke volumes for Pam. It had been for both of us. She had felt the guilt in me for not being there. For letting the bastards do that to Godric.

Focusing on the present, I looked at Pam. "Russell was courteous enough to inform us…actually, inform Godric, while I wasn't there."

She was a blur as she paced around the room and I was treated to her extensive knowledge of _every_ swear word in _all_ the languages she had mastered: fifteen in all. I was willing to admit I was proud of her vocabulary, if not slightly amused by some choice of expression. Pam has always kept up with linguistic developments better than I.

When she stopped in front of the desk, she leaned on it before asking, "Have you contacted Lexie?"

"Phedre was supposed to, I'm sure we'll be seeing her soon," I told her.

"Phedre's with Sookie now?"

"Yes."

Warmth leaked into her eyes as she thought about my Sookie. "So much trouble," she murmured and went back to pacing.

I left her to it and started on the pile of work I had on my desk. At some point in the next hour I felt my maker and Mernieth approach.

"Ah, Viking, still as handsome as ever I see," Mernieth's accented voice broke into my tallying of expenses.

When I looked up she was standing in the door way, a warm smile on her face. She had not been a beautiful woman as a human. Her nose was too large, and her features too angular for classical beauty, yet there was an undeniably regal air about her that set her apart now, I was sure it had then as well. She had been a ruler of a prosperous country; the mantle of power had left an imprint on her, as it had on all of us who have worn it.

"Mernieth, it has been a while. How are you?" I asked.

"As well as one could expect, I suppose. I have been traveling again. Egypt gets dull after a few decades."

Mernieth enjoyed coming back to her roots. Something I hadn't done nearly often enough, preferring to explore.

"And how is Amishtah?"

She came to sit in the empty chair next to Pam. "Missing you."

"I'm sure she isn't, she has all those boys to entertain her through the long nights," I said with a chuckle. The ongoing joke about the current vampire ruler in Egypt and her boy harem never got old. She had offered me a place by her side, as regent, but I had refused, preferring my freedom to a gilded cage that the position would have placed me in.

"I don't suppose you have beverages available, I have just arrived and am starving for something non bottled."

"You are not mainstreaming?" She had always been a great advocator of human life.

"Hardly," she told me, her disgust over the synthetic blood they expected us to live on evident in her expression. "While I am glad we don't have to hide anymore, I do not advocate trying to _survive_ on the substitute. I may not kill, but I am no masochist."

That was debatable; after all she had created Ulrich. And both of them were here now. Why? "I'm sure Pam can find you a meal before you rest. You are staying with us?"

"No," Mernieth looked over at Pam. My child's expression was what I would call euphoric. "Pam has offered the use of her house and I agreed. I wouldn't want to disturb your nest, Viking. I'm sure your little human would find fault in you hosting a female while she is indisposed. Besides, I won't be staying long. I was on my way to Alaska to visit an old friend when I heard Godric had resigned."

In other words she wanted to make sure he was not thinking about suicide again. Well, she was a few months too late. If Sookie had not been there—no, I was not going to think about the consequences of her absence then and now.

Mernieth must have continued speaking about her upcoming visit to another ancient vampire. He was not known to socialize, of course he had been around when there were not that many humans to socialize with so the solitude would not bother him. The conversation flowed around me and Godric filled her in on our current situation, making me wonder why she was here at all. Had she been merely passing through to visit friends or was it something else. That both her children were now in the same country as she was bore examination. Mernieth never left things to chance. She would not just visit us merely to make sure he was fine, no there was another reason, I was sure of it.

"I hope I'm not interrupting something," Lexie said as she made her entrance. She stopped short taking in all the vampires in the room before her eyebrow made its way up. "Is this a family re-union?"

I had been so preoccupied with trying to figure out Mernieth I hadn't even heard Lexie. She could have just appeared, but I doubted it. She usually had the good manners to knock first. Taking in her appearance I quickly change that estimate, she did not look at all happy to be here.

Pam smiled with fangs on display as she took in the new arrival. "And you are just in time for dinner."

"Bite me," Lexie retorted as she went to join Godric on the only available seat left, the couch.

"With pleasure," Pam purred, but didn't make a move.

"And what brings you here, daughter of Hades?" Mernieth asked Lexie. I hadn't known they were acquainted, from the lack of tension in either of them they must be.

"They traumatized my niece," Lexie explained. "I'm here for damage control."

Her fury spilled around her in waves of magic making me wonder who she was here for and if she was aware of Compton downstairs. I did not think she would try hurting us. Four against one were not good odds in this situation. Despite Sookie's absence I was sure she would not have asked her aunt to hurt any of us. Well, Pam, Godric and I, she had not known Mernieth was in town, but I was sure that assessment would include her as well. No, Lexie was just pissed and looking for someone to blame.

The look of surprise on Mernieth's face spoke volumes. "Godric, you did not mention your human had such connections. It would be wise for you to take care of her. Hades is not merciful with those who hurt his offspring."

"Like any of us could stop it. That girl's a trouble magnet if I ever saw one," Pam muttered.

"Trouble magnet or not, taking her to Jackson had been a half assed move. Letting that idiot Compton almost drain her…I should be seeking retribution from you, not helping you salvage the situation," Lexie said, her temper getting the better of her as her eyes blazed brilliant green.

My hands were on the table before I knew it and I was snarling at her. "You have no right to her anymore. She is ours."

Lexie looked at me completely unimpressed. "I have every right to her, Viking. She has divine blood in her; _you _can never fully claim one of us. _We_ claim you!"

"Enough bickering." Mernieth gave both of us a stern look that brooked no argument. As she was by far the oldest creature in the room, we shut up. Even with her powers I doubted Lexie would have found Mernieth an easy target. "What has happened to her?"

My glance at the couch confirmed that Godric was going to leave the explaining to me, so without much preamble I told them about Jackson and the trap waiting for us in Bon Temps. I was going to have to tell the story to Pam anyway, I was sure she'd have come up with something obnoxious if I hadn't, so having them all present at once meant I wouldn't have to go over things again.

"Where is he?" Lexie asked when I was done.

"Compton?" There was no need to clarify; I did it just to annoy her.

She leaned forward her green eyes blazing. "Yes."

"Downstairs."

"He is being punished?"

I didn't bother answering instead concentrated on not hurting her. She was annoying me, with my bloodlust barely under control it was not a wise course of action. Sookie would not be happy if attacked her aunt.

"You will hand him over to me after you are done," she ordered.

"We cannot." I told her, preparing for the outburst.

It didn't come, instead she went still. Her eyes dulled in color as she asked me why in a deceptively calm voice.

"Because he is needed by my monarch."

"How is Sophie-Anne? I have heard that she is not the most competent of rulers," Mernieth interrupted the stare down between Sookie's aunt and myself.

I let my eyes linger on Lexie for a moment longer before moving them to Godric's maker.

"She is the same as always. Plotting, vicious and spoiled." I told her.

"That is no way to talk about your Queen," Mernieth pointed out.

I raised an eyebrow. "Do you not do the same when it comes to half a dozen of American royalty? They're all the same: power hungry idiots, who are more worried about impressing each other than truly taking care of their people."

"Touché," Mernieth said. "It's another reason I don't visit this continent often."

"I believe she may have more than just one relative in common with me," Lexie said, leaving all of us floundering. Who?

"I assume you must be referring to Sookie," Mernieth said.

"Yes," Lexie confirmed with a roll of her eyes.

"Please don't tell me she is related to you through your fae side as well," Godric said, almost a plea.

The sheepish look Lexie had on her face confirmed that she was. Well, fuck, no wonder she smelled so sweet all the time.

"Your little human is part fae and divine? That is a rarity indeed." Mernieth commented, but nobody was paying attention.

"How? Her father?" I asked. We already knew the background of her mother.

Lexie nodded. "It occurred to me, she was more than she should have been, but speaking to my cousins confirmed it. She has a guardian."

"Really?" Pam piped in, obviously a real full-blooded fairy was something we vampires would be extremely interested in meeting. Pam especially since she has yet to try one.

"Off-limits, Pam. She's royalty," she explained. "So it would seem is Sookie, in more ways than one."

"You are remarkably alike," Godric pointed out.

Lexie nodded. "Yes. It's another reason I must offer her a choice."

"What choice?" Godric asked.

"It's for her to hear, not you." Lexie said decisively.

I was up and towering over her before she had a chance to blink, an impressive feat seeing as Lexie was more than capable to take me on in a fight. "We are together, even by your standards that means something."

"By our standards it means she _still_ decides what she wants to do. I won't mention the fact that her fae relatives have expressed an interest in using her as a brood mare, I'm sure Niall will manage to find a way around his little predicament sooner or later and contact her. But, I will give her the option of living a normal life, at least free of the powers she has now, including telepathy. It is the least I can do."

"No!" I roared, but my hands caught empty air as I tried to grab the meddling bitch.

This was not happening. She had no right.

She had disappeared just before I could inflict any damage.

"Godric, calm your child. It is within Lexie's rights to do this and for your Sookie to decide," Mernieth said.

Godric's face was a mask of agony. "I can't lose her," he whispered shattering whatever pretense of calm he had tried to project. "Mernieth, she is all I have left to live for."

My limbs were vibrating with tension as I waited for her answer. The need to fly back to Bon Temps and claim Sookie so intense it was akin to the compulsion a maker puts on his child.

"Then you will know she chose you over anything else when she comes back. If she loves you as you believe, then she will come back," Mernieth said in a soft voice.

The dullness behind his eyes broke me. I had known. All this time I had known how much of my maker's continuing existence depended on Sookie, but seeing him so broken over her….it left me empty.

If I could I would rip away his hurt; if I could I would kill whomever caused him pain; if I could I would take care of him forever. I couldn't. It had not been up to me. I was powerless. The knowledge that I would never hurt Sookie made me sag, and for an instant I hated her.

It was all up to her now. And the fear that she may not chose us took hold of a part of me, the part that loved her just as deeply as my maker. It terrified me.

"Well, I for one am ready to go downstairs. There is nothing else we can do by sitting around," Pam said getting up. "There is still enough time before sunrise if any of you care to join me."

We all did, of course. Even Mernieth came. None of us expected her to take so much relish in making Compton pay for his crimes, but she did it with glee. Mostly because Godric had never mastered the art and it was her way of making up for the fact she hadn't had the heart to teach him.

Mernieth, for all her talk of peace and respect for life, had no problem inflicting punishment on those who deserved it. I liked that about her.

It was two hours later, as I climbed into the bed that felt so empty and cold without _her _in it, that I realized how much _her_ absence would devastate me. My arms wrapped around my maker as we lay there in heavy silence, unsure what tomorrow would bring. Both of us in love with a human—as it turned out not so human—woman who had our lives in her precious little hands; if someone told me this earlier, I'd have gladly snapped her fragile neck the minute she walked into my club.

Yet it would have made little difference.

Godric would have died in Dallas.

And I, I would have been an empty shell.

* * *

_Would love to hear your thoughts on Mernieth and anything else you would like to comment on. And although I didn't include any detailed events from the torture I hope Eric's bloody thoughts satisfied you. I was actually extremely surprised by the amount of bloodthirsty readers leaving me reviews and ideas about who to torture. I didn't know you had it in you girls and boys! :) I love it! LOL And I promise there will be enough of that kind of action in the future._


	16. Chapter 16

_So, I know I'm a bit late. My birthday was last week: am I forgiven? _

_Nah, that's not the reason, although I wish it was. I've actually been working…a lot…like 12 hour days, almost 7 days a week. When I'm not working I'm spending time with my much neglected daughter which leaves me with zero creative juices and even less time to write. _

_In the spirit of Christmas, I do hope you forgive me. My betas and I made a last push to get this chapter finished. Unfortunately I have zero chapters ready after this one. I am working on another one. More of a finishing fluffy fun one, but it's nowhere near done and will not be for a while. _

_I am sad to say I'll be taking an extended hiatus from writing fanfiction. I'm not sure when my RL will give me a chance to get back to it. It's hard for me to write this since I love this story and all the other ones that I have yet to finish and write. When there will be more time and opportunity for me to get creative I'll leap back into it. PROMISE! _

_Thank you for all of your support so far. I hope you have a joyful and wonderful Christmas and happy New Year!_

_I'm making a wish this NY: for my business to go well so I can have plenty of writing time. ;)_

_Xxx_

_Mavrosal_

_Huge big Christmas thank you to BathshebaRocks and MellyKen who did the honors of beta'ing this chapter for me. I love you guys!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own TB or SVM, but the storyline is all mine and so is Lexie._

* * *

The lights of Jason's truck made me squint, my eyes having gotten used to the moody forest I'd just trekked through. He barely parked the car before he barreled at me. Jason wasn't the best of brothers, but he was there when I needed him most, and that's all that mattered.

"Sis, what happened? What did those vamps do to you?"

He was hugging hard enough it was hard to breathe, but I wasn't about to give up the feeling of safety and normalcy even if it came with a little bit of pain so I stayed quiet.

There was so much concern in his voice; I couldn't hold it together anymore. The tears became a flood and I hiccupped as I cried into his shoulder.

He tried asking me again, but I couldn't answer.

Something had broken in me when I watched Eric drain that Were; something inexplicable had shifted. Reality had finally set in. I'd have a lifetime, several of them, which would be filled with blood, death, and everything in between. What if I could not deal with it, then what?

My life has become one long series of deaths, tortures and blood, so much blood. I am even drinking it just so I can stay alive. When I met Bill it had been such a novel feeling of having someone who I couldn't read. Suddenly I could have what everyone else had: a normal relationship. There was no thinking about it, I was just plain happy.

But with Bill came violence, murder and pain.

I loved Godric and Eric, truly, I did. Could I learn how to be like them? Did I have a choice in this, was I going to become like them in a year, a decade, a century? Would I be just as brutally unflinching about killing others: I had no idea. I didn't want to find out.

"I'm going to stake those bastards." Jason rocked me from side to side.

The threat in Jason's voice caught my attention and I tried to breathe enough to tell him that he didn't need to. It wasn't them; it was me. Me who didn't see the reality in front of me until it was too late.

I was living with vampires; they killed people. I had known that, what I hadn't realized was that their lifestyle would inevitably spill into my life. I'd been playing ignorant about all the training. It was so that I could learn how to kill, how to do it quickly and efficiently.

All those hours of practise had not been about self-defense, no, it had been so I could learn to kill whoever was trying to kill me. It was exactly what I did in Jackson. Twice. Lexie would be proud, they would be proud.

The food I ate in the car threatened to come back out as I tried to breathe.

The breathing helped. "Jason, it's okay. They didn't do anything wrong. It's me, all me. Can I stay with you tonight, please?"

I pushed away from my brother to see his face. Lines of worry made him look closer to his true age than usual, he had always looked younger. He seemed helpless in the face of such female emotions, emotions that Jason wasn't used to, God bless my brother, but he wasn't one who could handle emotional women well.

I felt calmer just from him trying to pat my back, in what he must have thought a comforting manner. The pats were a little too hard and a little too fast; he was nervous. Still, it was the thought that counted. That made me feel better. I had someone sticking up for me, even if he didn't know why. He put an arm around my shoulder and tugged me towards the car.

"If you don't mind sleeping on the couch? I've been trying to renovate, and well, its slow work."

In other words his place was a mess. I chuckled through the sobs. God, I loved my brother.

In no time at all I was curled up on Jason's couch under a ratty old blanket. Jason didn't ask too many questions; whether he actually noticed I wasn't in the mood to talk or he just wanted to get back to sleep—which was more likely—either way I was grateful.

It wasn't the best sleep I'd ever had; tossing and turning as vivid details of the last couple of days crawled into my dreams. The couch was lumpy, the house smelled like old food and yet, when I did wake up around noon it was to discover that my injuries healed during sleep.

I had a quick shower and used the only semi-clean towel I could find. It had been in the dryer and I prayed that meant it had been washed and not as yet used. After pulling on some comfy clothes I found stashed at the bottom of my suitcase I made my way to the kitchen.

The only clean thing in Jason's house was his coffee machine and I made sure to wash out the cup twice before I actually put coffee in it.

My cell-phone was free of messages or calls when I bothered to check it, which did surprise me. Doubt rose as I thought about how easily they had let me go last night, I put them firmly aside as I thought that surely they felt me leave, probably spied to see if I got to Jason's safe. In retrospect it hadn't been my brightest plan to go off in the middle of the night while others fought against someone who wanted to kidnap me. A lecture on proper damsel in distress behavior was definitely on my future agenda, I was sure Godric would not miss giving me one. Then again, maybe not; I had no idea how my actions would be interpreted. In my haste to get away from the violence I did not consider those consequences. Now was not the time for that either.

With a steaming mug in one hand I made my way out onto the patio, resolving to put any vampire matters to rest for at least the length of time it took me to drink my coffee.

The view of the lake was beautiful in the winter afternoon and I sat down on a chair, wrapping the blanket I'd slept under around me. I watched the sun play on the water and listened to the rustling of trees. It was such a peaceful contrast to what was happening in my life, I tried not to notice how painful breathing was and concentrated on soaking up some winter sun.

I didn't stay that way for long. After my coffee ran out there were no more excuses to sit around and do nothing.

The next few hours were spent spring cleaning. Gran always cleaned when she had problems on her mind, a habit I embraced as well. There was something to be said about getting rid of cobwebs, dirty plates and dust bunnies. It not only cleared the house of unwanted grime, but it cleared your head of unwanted thoughts.

Luckily Jason's house was perfect for this. His perpetual laziness left me with plenty of dust and dirty plates. The bookshelves my dad built in the living room still housed all the books I read as I child. They were now under a thick grey layer of dust I was sure had been left undisturbed since the last time I came to clean my brother's house a year ago.

When I finally came out the front door, balancing three rubbish bags full of junk and a few pizza boxes, I nearly dropped everything when I spotted my car parked out the front. There was a note under the wiper on the driver's side. Someone must have dropped it off at in the morning while I slept, I'd kept myself so busy that I hadn't noticed it. There was no way of telling how I felt about it, my emotions were a tangled mess and I walked back into the house after taking care of the rubbish without looking at the note.

I was sure about who it was from, what I did not know was if I wanted to find out what was written in it.

It must have been around four when my phone rang. I looked at the display, it was Kyle.

"Hello?" The greeting came out scratchy; not talking for a whole day after a big cry made me sound like a frog, not the impression I had hoped for.

"Are you planning on staying here for a while?" No pleasantries, but then I didn't expect them from Kyle. He wasn't that kind of guy.

I thought about my answer before I said, "I'm not sure," then coughed, hoping to clear my throat and get rid of the embarrassment.

That was the honest to God truth. I wasn't sure what I was going to do. A little voice in the back of my mind was telling me that I was lying, I ignored it.

"It is not the safest location you could have picked."

"It is my brother's house." I pointed out, none too happy with him.

"There are no wards."

I huffed. "He's not on the Were hit list, now is he? I am!"

"Exactly." He punctuated my statement making me blush at putting my foot in my mouth.

I looked out of the window, nothing changed. Only my car sat in the driveway and I wondered where Kyle's was. Probably somewhere close, for sure I wasn't alone. "Where are you?"

"Nearby."

How extremely helpful…

My foot tapped on the wooden floor. "Well, in that case, I'll let you know if I decide to leave."

"Make sure you do." He didn't bother with a good bye either.

I didn't expect one, but the lack of pleasantries that seemed to be a common trend in my supernatural acquaintances left me frustrated. There was nothing to do but return to my cleaning spree, which I did with vigor. I was not at all happy with the guards stationed somewhere on Jason's property, but wasn't foolish enough to make a fuss over them either.

It was a hard reality that I had to have my own guards and after Jackson I knew exactly why. The truth had been made clear to me over the last few days. Clear enough that goose bumps ran over my skin just thinking about it again, so the floor in the bathroom got an extra good scrub as I tried _not_ to think about anything at all.

By the time Jason got back home, grocery bags in hand, the house was spotless. There was washing drying on the lines and fresh bed linen on both his and the guest beds. Both of which had been so dirty that it was a wonder Jason had managed to entice any women into them.

I was half way through the ironing when he opened the front door and called out a greeting.

"Bought the stuff you wanted, Sook, are you gonna cook for me?" His hopeful expression reminded me of the times he would come around to Gran's when he knew she'd be making dinner. She always made extra just in case he dropped in.

For the first time all day my mouth curved up into a smile. "Sure, I am. What did you get?"

We spoke briefly when he got off work and I suggested he stop at the store so I could make us something for dinner. While I had given him a short list there was no way of knowing if he managed to get what I asked for. After the time he had delivered cucumbers when I asked for a carton of milk…well, I just didn't get my hopes up too much.

Lack of homemade meals must have given him incentive to pay attention and he'd managed to buy almost everything I'd told him. It would be so nice to share a meal with someone who actually ate food. A normal home cooked family dinner.

Jason went to shower while I put away the ironing and started cooking in the now sparkling kitchen. By the time he had finished getting himself clean and appreciating the abundance of clean clothes in his closet—I had put a few loads through the dryer to save time—there were steaks sizzling on the pan, potatoes being fried and a salad I was half way through cutting.

"Smells great!" He rubbed his stomach.

I paused chopping. "How have things been?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

I went back to chopping the tomato without answering. He got the idea.

"Okay, I guess. Hoyt's been trying to ask Tara out on a date. I've been seeing this girl from Hotshot. You know the place; about twenty minutes drive from here? She's real nice, Sook. I think she's the one."

That was surprising. Jason hardly ever said that about any of the girls he dated. He's dated enough of them in the last decade for me to realize this one must be something. I hoped, for his sake, she wasn't anything supernatural.

After a moment of stunned silence I realized he was waiting for me to comment. "That's great. I'm looking forward to meeting her."

He looked surprised by how honest my answer had been. What I meant was that I was looking forward to meeting her and reading her mind to make sure she wasn't just taking him for a ride. My brother might be a jerk most of the time, but he was all I had. "Hoyt and Tara? I can't really see that happening," I observed, changing the subject.

He grinned and swiped a piece of cucumber off the chopping board. "I think she's just looking for something uncomplicated, but she's not cut out for that kinda thing. You know? It's fun to watch though."

Well, it was certainly insightful of Jason to realize that. Jason was not an insightful type, unless the particular insights had something to do with prospective ladies. "I thought she was with JB?"

Jason nodded, his mouth too full to give me a comprehensive answer, and I waited somewhat impatiently until he chewed through the vegetable obstruction. Tara was not interested in being friends with me right now; I hoped that would change in the future. Of course, if I was going to be in trouble all the time, maybe it was a good thing. Suddenly, the idea of Tara finally coming back into my life didn't sound as welcoming. She was my friend, someone who potentially could get hurt real bad.

"Sure, she was. But you know JB, he is just too nice. She's not really cut out to be with someone that nice, but there's no way of stopping her when she made up her mind. Besides anything that would piss of Hoyt's mother is okay in my books."

Jason's glee at the prospect of Mrs Fortenberry's reaction too her only son dating a black girl mirrored my own. She was the town's gossip mill and I had little love for people like that. I had to agree with Jason though; I doubted Hoyt would have a better chance with Tara than JB.

The next hour was spent with me catching up on local gossip as Jason regaled me with the dirtiest, funniest stories. The way he told me about his own escapades—granted, leaving out the details—had my stomach hurting from laughter and running to the bathroom a few times. I had been so caught up with all the drama in my own life that it was a pleasant change to sit back and listen to Jason gossiping about people, normal people.

We watched movies after dinner and I felt more human then I had in a while. When Jason started to snore next to me I nudged him gently and told him to go to bed. He didn't argue with me, after kissing my head and thanking me for cleaning went off to his bedroom.

I was alone again and this time there was no oblivion of sleep to save me from my own nightmares, no convenient cleaning to distract me from my thoughts. Making myself a cup of sweet tea I wandered onto the patio again. The chilly air made me shiver and I wrapped a blanket around my shoulders as I sat down. Moonlight spilled on the water, making it look serene and dangerous at the same time.

The darkness made me wonder what _they _were doing tonight. Were they in Fangtasia now? Were they thinking about me? I had been too busy to let myself think about anything all day, but now, without Jason to distract me the problems in my life came flooding back.

I tensed as a figure separated from the shadows near the pond. My hands searching for the knives that weren't there. My boots sat next to the front door while I wore a pair of Jason's slippers. With no way of defending myself, fear paralyzed my muscles as I watched the shadow advancing, my mind already cataloging any potential weapons near me. A mug: not exactly lethal. It wasn't until she walked past the light streaming out of the kitchen that I breathed, irritation filling me at the same time as my limbs regained movement.

I glared at the water, trying to stay calm, for some reason unsurprised to see Lexie here and now. Feeling bitterness over her absence in Jackson, I realized just how much I had come to rely on my aunt's presence. That and the disappointment over her coming now, no doubt straight after she had talked to either Phedre or the vampires made me bitter. "What the hell are you doing here?"

She sat down in the chair next to me and took her time in getting comfortable. "Figured you'd want to talk."

I felt my lips twist into a sneer. "Thought you were out of here for the winter?"

"Sure, I am. I can however drop by sometimes. When the big bad fairies let me go."

There was enough frustration laced through her words that I almost felt bad for being so harsh, almost. At any other time I would have tried to make conversation, maybe even asked her if I could help. Tonight, I had so much on my plate that I did not bother. Lexie was a big girl who could handle her own problems; if she needed my help then she'd ask for it.

I shifted, repositioning my body although it the chair was not the cause of my discomfort. What was there to say? I freaked out. Bailed.

When I didn't give her an answer straight away she continued with the pointed questions. "It wasn't always going to be rosy, kid. You knew that. Why now?"

Snorting I looked at her, really taking in the tension lines in her face, the haunted look in her eyes. The green in them swirled in an unnatural rhythm, making her look even more alien, less human than usual. "What's going on? How did you even know about me?"

"I have my ways."

A sour taste coated my tongue at her words. "Sure, your dryad spy. You talk to her but not to me."

Electricity danced in the air as Lexie's temper spiked. "I'll pay for this visit, don't you worry. Now, why don't you tell me why you ran off last night?"

"Why do you care?"

"I care because you're my family. I care because I love you. Call me stupid, that's what families were all about last time I checked." Then she softened a little, leaning back in her chair as she looked at me with understanding. "It freaked you out didn't it? The violence."

Nodding I turned away, my eyes trained on the lake, the view getting more watery by the second and not because I was actually staring at water. When I was sure my voice would not betray me I spoke. "Why didn't you do the same for Jason? I mean, unlock his powers, or whatever it was you did. How come I'm special?" I was tired of being special, different, all by myself.

"Do you think it would have helped? You think he can handle it? Handle the power, the responsibility?"

I was about to answer sure, shouldn't he get his chance at least, but her next words stopped me short.

"Do you think it would be fair on him? He's got a chance at a normal life. Something you never would have been able to have, thanks to the telepathy. Would you want him not to at least try? Wouldn't you have wanted one if you could have it?"

_Yes._ I would have done anything to have a normal life. There wasn't a chance in hell I'd wish my life on another human being, let alone my brother. The small amount of composure I had grasped crumbled and my cheeks became moist. "Why me?"

I couldn't help but look at her as I asked and the bittersweet look she gave me broke down more of my walls.

"Would you really give it all up if you could? Would you really give them up?"

I knew she meant Godric and Eric. I knew that. Deep down I've been afraid to ask myself that question and come up with the wrong answer. "I don't know."

Lexie nodded, warmth draining from her face. "Then you have some thinking to do."

Yeah, I did. I watched as she got up and closed my eyes as she placed a kiss on my forehead, just as Jason had done a little while ago. The caring gesture somehow made her words less harsh, since there weren't that many people who could give me this kind of affection left alive.

When I opened my eyes again she was still in front of me, staring at me intently, like I was some sort of puzzle she wanted to solve.

"We love you, dear, but if you want it, we will see it done." She walked away into the trees and disappeared.

One thing I couldn't fault; Lexie knew how to make an exit.

The silence of the night was suddenly oppressive and I shifted uncomfortable wondering how many creatures of the night might have been privy to our conversation. Had the Were guarding me heard anything? Lexie would not leave something like that to chance, but she was not infallible.

Then again maybe she would want them to hear, just so they could take the information back to their bosses. And then my mind caught up with what Lexie had been offering and I stopped worrying about eavesdroppers.

There was a real chance I could be normal, an ordinary human, or maybe a human with telepathy. Lexie had not specified which gifts she would be able to take away. But was that what Lexie had meant? Or was it more along the lines that she'd make me the way I used to be? Maybe she would take away whatever it was she'd opened up in me, but leave my telepathy. I had no idea if she could take it away. The only truth I was sure about was her word that should I want it, she would do whatever it took in order to make me happy; even if it meant she left my life completely.

And that would mean I would lose an aunt, and a best friend I had come to depend on.

I thought about Godric and Eric as well. The politics of their world frankly scared the living daylights out of me. My life had been a quiet one up until the time I met my first vampire. Now, I was having plenty of the action I bemoaned missing out on before. Could I give it all up and go back to the same mundane existence I had been living; the idea held little appeal. But I wasn't sure I could survive living this one for much longer either, not with all the trouble that I kept getting into.

That wasn't the question though, and I knew it. Would I be happier having an ordinary life? Flashes of a future I had long given up invaded my brain: children, large family gatherings, happy quiet times...there were so many possibilities. Yes, there was a good chance I could find myself someone who I could be happy with, if I didn't need to worry about my telepathy.

Would that encompass the same love, understanding and closeness I had now?

I wiped at my face again, my sleeve already damp from tears as I realized I did not need to answer that question.

Gran had raised me to be a fighter, to fight for what I wanted. If that meant I would have to re-invent myself to fit in better with the world I now lived in, well, I would need to do just that. Lexie had provided me with an alternative, but it was not something I was willing to take her up on.

Despite everything that had happened, the thought of not being with Godric and Eric left me empty. They were mine, a part of me that I could never give up.

What would happen to Godric if I did? The idea of him being alone again, I had seen what would be the inevitable outcome. He needed me as much as I needed him. I felt horrible for leaving last night, yet I knew he understood. He would know it wasn't because of him that I had left; I just needed time…space to sort through the myriad of emotions.

For some reason I wasn't so worried about Eric. He was always so confident, so self sufficient. Looking back though I knew that should I decide to leave he would just revert back to the cold bastard he had been on our first meeting. If Godric had died on that rooftop… I didn't want to know what kind of vampire Eric would become without his maker next to him.

Yes, I could have a different life, a life without trouble, without killing and definitely without any blood, but then I wouldn't know that Godric, despite his long life of loneliness and pain, was the most loving, giving person I knew, there would be no genuine humor and affection in Eric's life, there would be no Lexie in mine. It would be a nice, safe life. It wouldn't be _my_ life.

Before I knew it my phone was in my hands and I was dialing Pam's number. A shiver let me know that it was getting towards morning while I had sat there analyzing my life, and I hoped the club was still open.

I almost smiled when I heard the bass music playing through the speaker.

"Why did you leave?" Pam was never one for small talk but that was forward, even for her.

"I needed to think," I told her. There was a pause when I could almost picture the look of impatience on her face.

"And?"

"I did."

"Well, please enlighten me to your thoughts." Sarcasm from Pam. Nothing new there, but the underlying animosity was.

I deserved it too. "Pam, don't you think I should talk to them first?"

"Sure, but that wouldn't be much fun for me. They won't talk to me and I want to know."

A dry laugh bubbled up. "Not everybody is willing to discuss their private thoughts, despite what you read in Dear Abby," I told her gently.

Pam sighed, her tone softening just a little. "You're so much trouble. They're here, come down and make sure you dress appropriately. I expect you to make things right."

Then she hung up. Pam wasn't happy with me, no surprise there.

I trudged back inside after a few more minutes.

It was time to go home.

I left Jason a note before I left, he had been snoring and I didn't have the heart to wake him up. One midnight wakeup call was enough, two would be more than our relationship could handle and I didn't want to leave his house on a sour note.

After my shower I called Kyle to find out which one of my bodyguards was on duty. I had been right that there was still a Were here, Jeremy was on patrol.

He didn't say anything about my sleepover when I met up with him, and stayed uncharacteristically quiet as he drove me to Shreveport.

Neither had he commented when I had picked up the unread note off the glass and read it.

_Sookie, the car is yours to use as you wish._

_We miss you_.

No signature, but then I didn't need one to know who the '_we'_ stood for.

I tugged at my dress, nervous enough about my reception and questioning my choice of outfit. The blue figure hugging jumper dress was beautiful and before last night would surely lead to me being whisked away from the club early. Tonight I had no such assurances. My imagination ran wild and the scenarios floating in my head went from bad to worse.

"What happened?" There was no usual cheerful smile on his face.

It had taken Jeremy fifteen minutes to ask. Fifteen long minutes of torturous thoughts and when his voice did break the strained silence I didn't know what to say.

When swallowing to try and bring some moisture to my dry mouth didn't help, I gave up trying to come up with something good and settled for the truth. "I freaked."

"You finally realized how hard it is to please two vampires?"

"What? No, that's not it, at all." I squeaked out, unable to believe we were having _that_ conversation or that he would bring it up of all times right now. "I freaked because of all the other shit that's happened."

He cast a glance my way. "After all the crap that you've been through?"

He was right of course; there had been a lot of things that happened before last night. None of them made me walk away. "I guess it all built up. I just never really thought about how much killing was going to be in my life until recently. I don't know why." Finally admitting the truth soothed my frayed nerves. "Naïve of me, I guess."

He snorted. "No shit."

My grip on the dress tightened. "Thanks."

"Sorry, luv, but you're dating two vampires, have an extra-terrestrial aunt who just happens to be the daughter of Hades and a twenty four hour watch to escort you to the grocery store. What the hell did you think would happen? You'll be living in a pink dream where everyone played nice?"

"No." My pout gave me away though.

"Well?" He flourished the question with sarcasm.

"I didn't, okay. I didn't think about it, I was too happy to think about all the crap that could possibly happen. Is that what you want me to say? I didn't think! Stupid Sookie for thinking she could be happy for just a little while without someone beating the shit out of her, or chasing her, or trying to kill her." Even to me the speech sounded like someone groping for excuses and desperate. The tight dress pressing on my ribcage was not helping to get oxygen inside and I wondered if he was right and I had been playing fairytale all this time, thinking that nothing bad could possibly happen.

It was true: all of it. I was sorry I didn't realize any of it before, but it was too late now, sorry was all I had. I hoped it would be enough.

His hand reached towards mine and he gave me an awkward squeeze. "Hey, I'm sorry. It's just, they're not so bad for bloodsuckers, you know? I thought maybe you were having some sort of girl freak out about dating both of them."

Before I could glare he winked at me, the mischievous smile back playing on his face, confirming my suspicions that the female wolves all went gaga over the boy. One look and I could not stay mad at him; it just wasn't fair. "So you think I should beg and plead forgiveness?"

He nodded solemnly. "For sure, lots of begging and plenty of pleading is definitely called for."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking," I said just as seriously, holding out long enough for a dramatic pause before laughing with him, making the rest of the trip pass much faster.

In the end I had no plan of action. Begging and pleading was all nice and easy to joke about, what it would involve remained a mystery.

Jeremy dropped me off at the front of the club and I slid out of the car, tugging at my dress again. There was a line of the gothic humans waiting behind the strategically placed rope.

Pam was at the head of the line.

"Well, well, well. Look what the wolf dragged in," she said showing her fangs as I walked past the covetous crowd. No doubt her show was to impress the gaping audience. From the appreciative murmurs behind me, it was a sure success.

"For the record I dragged myself," I told her as she let me through.

"Good luck," Pam said and then in a whispery whine that went unheard by our attentive audience added, "I never get to see anything fun anymore."

Stopping before I went inside I turned, leaning towards her ear close enough to draw a gasp from behind us at my boldness. "How about I buy you a return ticket to New York from Santa?"

Enjoying her struggle as she tried to suppress the smile that was fighting to break through her vampire façade I stayed put, waiting for her answer.

"Bribing already? You _must_ feel guilty." Yet her words lacked their usual edge, I knew she'd go for it.

I moved away from her.

"Done!" Her eyes twinkled with pleasure at the prospect of spending a weekend shopping.

One down, two to go.

As I joined the mortal crowd inside I tried to put some extra sway into my hips while making my way to the bar, well aware that my entrance had been noticed.

Chow was working the bar. He was wearing his usual leather vest that revealed more than it covered, but then that was the point. Women—and men—loved his tattoos, they had become one of the most fantasized things in here after Eric's…well…just Eric.

"Sookie, what a pleasant surprise." Fangs flashed through a predatory look, as a gin and tonic slid towards me.

I took the drink giving him a polite smile in return. "Thanks, it's good to see you as well."

"Heard you had an interesting time during your brief vacation." Clearly there was nothing wrong with the vampire gossip mill. Chow was entirely too delighted by whatever rumors he had heard. "Heard your count went up."

My fingers squeezed the sweaty glass. "Yes."

That subject was still raw, no matter that both of the kills had been in self defense.

He looked at me appraisingly. I started back trying to stay unfazed by the close scrutiny. After a moment of mutual understanding he nodded and silently moved to fill another order. Whatever he had read in my face, one thing I hadn't expected from the reserved bartender was to gain his respect. It left me wondering if it had been my reluctance to gloat or that I'd actually managed to kill someone that made an impression.

When I finally worked up the courage to turn around and scan the bar my drink was half way gone. I noticed Eric straight away. He was never hard to spot while lounged on his throne. I had felt his heavy stare on me for some time now; meeting his eyes had been the challenge - not finding him.

The intensity of that familiar blue gaze spread heat through me. And as I let myself feel him again, opening the bond I had closed between us more than the heat of his stare warmed me.

My feet started moving towards him on their own and it was the pressure of cool hands on my hips that had stopped me mid-step, just in front of the podium Eric lounged on.

"Ma petite," Godric whispered in my ear.

I leaned back into him, swaying lightly to the music to make our bodies touch.

"You are here." There was so much feeling hidden in those three words, so many emotions playing through our bond that my body swayed out of beat as I turned to face him, my arms wrapping securely around his neck.

"I'm sorry." The words felt small and lacking all the things I had wanted to actually tell him. They were the only thing I could say as my throat closed up.

He leaned in, our foreheads touching. "I am aware."

My lower lip trembled. "I—"

He didn't wait for me to finish before he kissed me. His lips on mine making me forget about all the doubts and worries as I let myself sink into his familiar embrace.

I heard a few muffled gasps as the crowd watched us in jealous fascination. We generally stayed away from public displays of affection. Tonight I did not care about them, or anything else, apart from the vampire in my arms and his companion a few feet away.

I had little doubt that the fangbangers would get their money's worth tonight; lust rode high in the air as every vampire in the room became excited by our little display.

Godric's arms tightened as my embarrassment started to put distance between us. His fingers spread possessively on my lower back when I meowed into his mouth. I may not like the bloodier side of being with vampires, but for this - for them - I could learn how to deal with it. My fingers tried to find a hold in his short hair as I pulled him to me, our kiss suddenly not enough even for me.

Maybe we would have stayed there longer, but a pointed cough made Godric stop. I saw stars.

"Maybe we should go home?" Eric asked.

He was stuck somewhere between lust and amusement and I loved the warm expression on his face, conscious of the fact that had I made a different choice that side of him would have been lost. I wasn't fool enough to think that he wouldn't have fallen for another human at some point in the future, but I knew he would never be the same if Godric had not stayed.

I nodded, completely in agreement with his plan, grateful that we wouldn't need to talk just now. As we headed towards the door I saw a smirking Pam, who rolled her eyes when she noticed me looking.

Vampires drive very fast, but Eric's driving skill tonight outshone anything I'd ever witnessed. Since the car only had two seats I sat in Godric's lap as Eric maneuvered the streets of Shreveport at a speed I would have called impossible if I hadn't witnessed him do it.

There wasn't much talking. Whatever needed to be said would wait. In the end it had been the fact that I came to them, the simple act had spoken enough for me. Other things held their attention now and I couldn't say I minded.

I snuggled closer to Godric, breathing him in as he had always done to me and simply enjoying their company. The dry masculine scent that I missed encompassed me, having been away from them for the last twenty four hours made me aware of how much I had missed it, missed the steady humming presence of their emotions filling me.

The anticipation of what was to come had my body vibrating, so when the vampires breathed an unnecessarily deep breath and proceeded to almost purr as they tasted the air in the car I blushed. The knowledge how ready I was for them had Godric's hands roaming over me possessively and I was pretty sure Eric managed to break the speed limit that the Corvette could drive at.

"Where are you going, lover?" Eric asked as I started heading downstairs.

Turning around to look at him in confusion I said, "Downstairs?" It came out more of a question though since I wasn't sure what exactly he wanted me to say.

His already growing smile turned into a smirk as he motioned towards the lounge and I changed direction, following him into the dimly lit space that had become so familiar to me over the last few months.

Home. The feeling of comfort and familiarity seeped into my bones.

It was the small things that told me that: Gran's skillet sitting in the corner of the kitchen bench, my shopping list hanging off the fridge, the soft notes of familiarity in the air. Everything smelled like us, warm, comforting, safe.

What was out of place was the huge tree that sat directly across from me, just on the other side of the fire place.

I looked at Eric with questions in my eyes.

He winked. "We thought it would be a nice surprise."

My smile was surely beatific. "It is. Where did you get something so beautiful?" I walked closer to admire it. I never had a real tree at my house in Bon Temps, the real ones were all expensive and we hadn't had that much money. Ours was a tree my Gran had bought on sale years ago, it had been beautiful, but it was getting old and this year I had wanted a new one but hadn't gotten around to buying it yet.

This tree was more beautiful than anything I could have found. In my mind I was already decorating it with all the Stackhouse heirloom balls and angels. It was also a lot bigger than anything I'd have picked. Excitement at the prospect of buying more decorations warmed me; there was no way I had enough to cover a tree this size and now that I had money to spend, it would be wonderful to get all the pretty things I've always admired from afar but never bought.

Godric came up to stand next to me as he examined the tree along with me. "I believe it took Pam a while to locate it, but I remember her mention something about out of state delivery."

Not bothering to hide my shock I checked to see if he was joking. They had gone and ordered a tree from out of state for me? If I hadn't thought they spoiled me, I'd have known it right then and there.

"Thank you," I whispered quietly, suddenly feeling oh-so-foolish for even doubting my decision to be with them.

Godric wrapped his arms around me as he brought me closer. "You are welcome, ma petite." He kissed me softly on the lips. It was a gentle, questioning kiss.

When our lips broke apart mine burned with hunger.

"I'm sorry." I couldn't hold it back any longer. The need to say something was excruciating.

His fingers trailed over my cheek, made their way down my neck and he wrapped them around it all the while not saying a word. The intensity of his stare caught my breath.

"I know," he whispered and let his hands continue down my shoulders. "We didn't mean to scare you. It was why I had wanted for you to stay with Pam, but you did insist…"

I nodded tears springing to my eyes. "I know."

Eric cleared his throat from behind me and I half turned to look at him, finally breaking Godric's hold on me. He was squatting next to the fire, which was now cheerfully burning. I also noted a new fur rug on the floor that in my haste to look at the tree had gone unnoticed.

"Can we skip the drama and get to the fun stuff?" he asked in a bored drawl.

"Sometimes, my child, you are beyond irritating," Godric told him, but from the squeeze of his hands on my arms I knew he wasn't nearly as offended by the suggestion.

Struggling to hold in my own amusement I disentangled myself and bent down. I hadn't needed to bend far; Eric's current vantage point wasn't exactly that low. "What do you have in mind, Viking?"

He grabbed my arm in a movement I barely saw and pulled me down to him. I squealed as I dropped, but he expertly softened my fall and somehow managed to end up on top of me in the process. When my head finally caught up I saw his smirk widen. With his hair disheveled and an easy slant to his eyes he looked sinful.

"I have a list, remember?"

"You may have to jog my memory," I told him in all seriousness.

He leaned into me, making it harder to breathe as his body settled on top of me, but I had no idea if that reaction was due to the extra weight or just his nearness. It didn't matter I wiggled just a bit to make sure he knew I was enjoying the game.

One of his hands slipped up my thigh while he almost purred the words, "with pleasure."

A sigh escaped me when his fingers edged my legs apart. I explored his back with my fingers, nails digging into the shirt that barred me access to his skin.

Eric slid down making sure to explore all of me as he traveled towards his destination and a moan escaped my lips when his fangs scraped my inner thigh. Hands cupped me from underneath as he lifted me up towards his face and my back arched when I felt him suck on me through the thin fabric. It felt like bliss as he nipped lightly. My eyes rolled back to where my other lover was.

Godric liked to watch us.

I had thought it would be uncomfortable at first, but learnt early on just how much of a turn-on it was to have an appreciative audience. A smile hovered on his lips, the tips of his fangs peeking through it as his attention was riveted on Eric's movements. A blanket of lust covered his face and I knew as sure as I knew that he loved me there would be little time to do anything else tonight but enjoy being claimed by them.

Then Eric slipped a finger around the wet fabric and I lost track of time, and sight of Godric as pleasurable haze clouded my vision.

Hands on my skin blazed trails while the dress I had been wearing was carefully removed just before my bra disappeared. The heat from the fire licked at my skin making sure I wasn't cold, Eric's attentions helped in that department as well.

"It isn't fair," I panted.

Eric moved his attention away from licking my breast to look at me. "What?"

"I want my turn," I told him.

He chuckled at the expression, which no doubt bordered on petulant. "You'll have to wait your turn."

It was hard to argue with a giant man perched on top of you, but I wiggled a little, making sure I brushed against certain…strained parts of his anatomy in the process. "I'm not so good at that."

"Learn," he whispered huskily and went back to licking and nipping my breast while his fingers slid in and out of me.

I panted, pleasure riding me to yet another high as he expertly turned the caress into something almost excruciatingly pleasurable. "I want to taste him" I managed to get out before a small scream erupted from me as I another wave of pleasure rolled contracted my muscles. That had been orgasm three or maybe four…

"Him?" Eric asked when he was sure I would actually hear him. From the way he looked I assumed it hadn't been the first time he tried.

I nodded, unable to actually explain just then.

When the pleasurable aftershocks receded and I opened my eyes he moved off me just enough to give me room to wiggle out. Not waiting for him to change my mind I willed my body to move and watched the satisfied look appear on Eric's face when it took me a while to get it to obey.

Godric hadn't stirred from the armchair he had occupied. I crawled towards him; naked, flushed and surprisingly horny again.

"Ma petite." His lips formed my nickname as he watched me as I closed the distance between us.

My fingers trailed up his legs, plucking his belt a little as a tease, before moving higher to wrap around his neck. I pulled him closed to me, closing the distance between our lips and giving him a kiss that was worth all the orgasms I just had.

"Yes," he hissed into my mouth as I rubbed against him.

Another naked body leaned against me. I could felt hard muscles move against my bad as Eric's hands slide around my waist as he opened the jeans in front of me. Godric stiffened and then sighed as the zipper slipped opened.

Then Eric caressed my breasts as I let my hands trail down Godric's shirt taking over what Eric had started; breaking my kiss at the last moment to dip my head as well. And as I leaned down to take Godric in my mouth a purr escaped from above me, but whether it had been Godric who throbbed between my lips, or Eric who had finally pressed himself against me, parting me as he slid partially in, I had no idea. And at that moment the pleasure of tasting Godric wrapped me up and I lost myself in him for a while.

Eric stayed still, letting me adjust to him before starting to move, making me whimper as he sheathed himself, pressing all the way in me. His hands holding me firmly in place as he slid in and out. Slowly at first, matching me movement for movement, then picking up his pace making me suck harder and faster to catch up, and then Godric moved as well.

The pleasure built up so quickly I had little time to realize that it had been mutual as all of us rushed into oblivion at once. I felt Eric's strong hand catching me when my body gave out and I almost sagged, gasped as Godric spilled himself into my mouth and I tried to swallow every drop he offered me. Maybe I screamed as well. I don't know about the last part, my mind was too hazy with mutual pleasure to care at that point.

We didn't stop there.

My lovers made sure that we christened the new rug thoroughly that night.

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thank you for reading my writing. Thank you for the feedback and support. Your feedback means so much to me! I'll miss you guys, but hopefully we'll be seeing each other real soon._

_xxx_

_mavrosal_


End file.
